Ancient Blood
by Shadow Shamira
Summary: It's been sixteen years since Ash Ketchum started his pokemon trainers journey. Team Rocket has more than been defeated, but a new evil now arises along with a new hero. Title recently changed. Will update as soon as can.
1. Foreword

Disclaimer: You think I own Pokemon? Oh, please, I shouldn't even have to say this. So here's the deal, I'm only saying this once so listen up. "I do not own pokemon and I never will." Satisfied?

Foreword

Years ago, great wars were fought using mysterious creatures that only those with The Gift could control. Young children were sought out who had this Gift and snatched up, taken away to secret places where they were trained to serve their respective kings. Whoever had the most with The Gift, was the most likely to emerge victorious. Even in times of peace, those with The Gift were called upon to rid villages of these monsters that plagued the world. But one king became power hungry. He ordered his people to study The Gifted and come up with a way for normal humans to tame and use these creatures. The result was the pokeball. Soon it became a privilege to capture these creatures and the mark of high breeding was to tame many of these monsters.

Before long however, all could purchase these contraptions. Young boys would leave on journeys to become men. Young women gauged suitors on how many monsters they had tamed. Using these pokeballs, The Gifted were soon forgotten, only passing down their secrets from generation to generation until they were no more. They were the ones history forgot…

It has been sixteen years since Ash Ketchum has set off on his pokemon journey, and he is now one of the most well known Trainer's of all time and a celebrity. He has finally once and for all defeated all of Team Rocket, and Jesse, James, and Meowth have stopped following him, but the world is not safe. There are still those who are evil, those who are good, and those with the power to save or destroy the world.

Due to this, new laws have been enacted. No one under eighteen can receive their Trainer's license without parental approval. License tests have become harder. Those who break the laws have harsher punishments.

This is the story of a girl who is more than she seems, more than even she knows. A girl who was born on the exact moment Ash Ketchum received his first pokemon, Pikachu…

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So how do you like it? First fanfic, don't be too hard, but reviews would be nice. Constructive criticism would be even nicer. Don't worry it gets better next chappie (due to the fact I actually start the story)


	2. Introduction

Chira was awakened by the town's dodrio call. Her eyes closed again sleepily, then snapped back open. Today she turned sixteen. She scrambled out of bed and nearly tripped on Growlithe, who happened to be sleeping next to it. She apologized to it quickly and got dressed. She could hear the sounds of her mother preparing breakfast as she popped in her specially made tinted dark blue contacts. She pulled on some tan slacks, admiring herself in the mirror. At five-foot-three, she was content, happy to be not short, but not tall either. She grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it over her slightly muscled torso.

She brushed her chin length dyed dark hair back and tied a red ribbon headband style to keep it out of her face. She paused with her hand on the door knob to take a steadying breath. Maybe today… She shook her head to clear it and headed downstairs, Growlithe padding down softly behind her.

"Good morning!" She greeted her parents cheerily as she slid into place at the breakfast table. Her dad put down his newspaper as her mother began putting the food on the table.

"Good morning, Sweetheart. How's our birthday girl?"

"I'm fine, Daddy. What are the plans for today?" She added with a bit of hope.

She took a bite of eggs as her father glanced at her mother before answering. "Well, your birthday dinner is going to be this evening when all your family is here. We'll have your gifts then, so you will pretty much be able to do whatever through out the day." Chira struggled not to let her shoulders slump in despair. He had said gifts, as in plural. That meant…

"Will you be taking Cami out to the woods, then?" Her mother was asking.

"Huh?" Chira snapped back to Earth. "Oh. Yeah, I suppose."

"Well, be sure to take it easy. It's supposed to be quite hot today. Why don't you take a lunch, and you can spend the whole day out there. I'll even pack some apples for Cami."

"Really?" Chira beamed. "You mean it? Oh that would be great! Are you sure you guys wouldn't mind?" At their nods she jumped up and hugged them both. "Oh, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! I'll get going right away! Where are those water bottles?"

Her father grabbed her arm, effectively halting her passage out of the kitchen. "Just make sure you're home by five, alright? And be careful of wild pokemon."

"I'll be fine, Dad. Besides, if anything happens I'll have Cami with me."

"He nodded and let her go. "Just don't take any unnecessary risks, alright?"

She nodded and raced out of the room. Her father sat back down, shaking his head. His wife smiled at him. "She certainly doesn't get it from my side of the family."

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Sorry it's so short. Next chap longer, maybe. Bear with me here, first fic and a bit unsure of myself. Reviews would be nice.


	3. Training

Chira reigned a ponyta to a stop on the crest of hill over looking a small green forest. She shifted the food laden backpack to a better position on her back. Bending some, she spoke into the ponyta's ear. "Alright, Cami, you know where we're going, so I'm leaving it up to you to get us there in one piece." She leaned back and tightened her grip on the fiery mane. Her knees tightened as she felt Cami's muscles tense. Chira effortlessly moved with the horse pokemon as she leapt forward into a gallop that took them both down the hill and into the forest at a blinding speed.

Trees whipped by in blurs of brown and green. Cami leapt over a fallen log, Chira effortlessly anticipating her movements. She could sense pokemon in the brush as they raced past. They even had to change directions several times to avoid hitting some.

Finally they reached a clearing beside a cliff that had a waterfall cascading down into a clear pool. Cami trotted over to a tree, and Chira dropped her pack down at the roots.

"Ready, Pal?" She asked, readjusting her position now that she had the cumbersome pack off. "Round the track!" Cami leapt forward and went even faster than before round a predetermined path, racing the clock. Several pokemon tried to join their race, but were unable to keep up for even three meters. Chira smiled. Cami was the fastest pokemon she knew, but not by luck.

Ever since Chira had received Cami for her twelfth birthday, they had worked hard to be the best, training whenever time would allow. It was Chira's ultimate dream to become a pokemon trainer, and that's what she meant to be. As soon as she turned eighteen, if her parents still hadn't let her get her trainer's license, she would get it and be off on great adventures. That's why she and Cami trained so hard. Her parents' always told her to do her best in everything she did and that's what she planned to do. It didn't matter if she didn't become a pokemon master as long as she knew she had done her best, she would have no regrets.

They got back to the clearing, and Chira slid off Cami. "Good job, Cami." Chira looked at the stopwatch in her hand. "You beat your last record by .9 seconds. We're still not where I want us to be, but you're definitely improving."

"Thank-you," she responded, humbly bobbing her head. Chira also had an advantage over other trainers. She could understand any pokemon word for word, and occasionally she could even speak their language. "Now I believe it is your turn?"

Chira nodded. "Sure is. How about taking a breather and running along with me?" Cami agreed, and they set off on another course. Chira didn't demand of Cami any more than she demanded of herself, therefore she trained just as hard. Of course, this course wasn't as long as Cami's, and she certainly didn't go as fast as her equestrian friend, but she still did her best, frequently increasing the length of her route.

This time they arrived back at the clearing with an entourage. Cami immediately engaged an arbok in a battle, and Chira wrestled with a mankey. The wild pokemon in this forest all knew Chira and Cami quite well, frequently initiating friendly tussles. Chira's father didn't approve of the friendship she kept with the pokemon, so let her come to the forest less and less.

They finally finished their different forms of training and ate their lunch, making sure to share with those who had helped. Chira snuck a little extra to the oddish who had helped Cami with target practice by using razor leaf. They relaxed after eating, and Chira fell asleep, using her much smaller pack as a pillow.

She woke sometime later and immediately felt the difference in the forest sounds. She sat up, looking around wildly for Cami.

"Someone has entered the forest," she heard from behind her. She turned to see the ponyta staring across the clearing, watching the bushes. Chira grabbed her bag and mussed up the bent grass where she had been sleeping with her foot. Before she could swing up onto Cami, though, a young man walked through the bushes.


	4. First Battle

A young man walked into the clearing, freezing when he saw her. Neither side moved until a growlithe followed him through the bushes. Chira blinked, forcing a smile.

"Hi," she said, her voice cracking almost imperceptibly. Cami's ears pricked forward.

"Hi," the boy replied, eyeing her. "Sorry if I scared you. I was just passing through. Would you happen to know how to get to the nearest town?"

"Sure. Go due East, and you'll hit a path. Follow it, and you'll get to the town of Morningside in no time. And I wasn't scared. We just don't get too many pokemon trainers around here."

He smiled. "Then what are you?"

Chira glanced at Cami, not sure how to answer.

He actually saved her from having to answer. "How about a battle?" He pulled out a pokeball. "My bellossom against your ponyta."

Chira looked at Cami. "Why not? I'm game if you are."

Cami nickered. "Of course. You know me. I never back down from a challenge."

She smiled. "Great." She turned back to him and nodded. "Alright, you're on."

His growlithe snorted. "This will be a piece of cake."

She glared at him as Cami moved into position, and the boy released his bellossom. "I'm Chira, by the way," she said, turning back to him.

She sucked in a breath when she saw his bellossom. That sucker's level was high. Quite a bit higher than Cami's. She almost didn't catch his answer.

"Trey. Alright, Bellossom, you know the drill."

Bellossom nodded. "Right." Chira had to remind herself that all he heard was "Bel."

"Cam, be careful. We're going to have to win this by strategy. And we will win!" _We don't have a choice._ Chira thought._ Dad will kill me if I have to take her to the pokecenter._

"Bellossom, use stun spore!" Trey immediately jumped into the fray.

"Cam, dodge it! Use Agility!" The bellossom let loose a cloud of brown-red spores that tried to envelop Cami. She darted to the side, doubled back, and used Quick Attack on the bellossom, sending it flying.

Trey laughed. "Is that the best you can do? My bellossom was barely scratched." Sure enough, it bounced back up, the light of battle in its eyes.

Chira swallowed, thinking fast. She knew Cami was thinking as well. _We just need to Fire Blast her from behind._

Bellossom started to charge up a Solar Beam on Trey's order. "I have an idea," Ponyta nickered.

"Go for it," Chira nodded.

Bellossom released the Solar Beam, and Chira bit her lip, watching it get closer and closer to an unmoving Cami. At the last possible moment, she dodged and, jumping, richeted off a tree, and landed behind Bellossom, immediately releasing a Fire Blast. The bellossom was knocked back several feet, but remained conscious. She was smoking as she wobbly stood up.

_It still has a lot of HP! Will this thing never quit?_

"Bellossom, use Hyper Beam!" A blast of energy rammed into Cami, who barely managed to remain standing. Chira could see her gritting her teeth from where she stood.

_No! We have to do something, and fast!_

"Bellossom, Petal Dance!" Bellossom sent out a spinning cloud of pink flower petals.

"Cami! Counter with Fire Spin!" A circle of fire surrounded Cami, effectively halting the petals. The last petal disintegrated, and Cami immediately burst out of the flames. She ran into Bellossom, wisps of flame still hanging onto her. Bellossom was thrown back. _It's now or never._ "Cami," she said softly. "Finish it."

The pony pokemon opened it's mouth and let loose with another great blast of fire, knocking the bellossom out.

Both humans stared at the unconscious bellossom. Finally, Trey reluctantly returned it. Chira let out a whoop. "We did it, Cami! Our first trainer battle and we won!"

"Amazing," Trey said. "That's the fastest anyone has ever downed her with such a big level difference. And with such finesse. That was amazing how your ponyta jumped off that tree like that."

Chira had straightened defiantly. "So you only challenged me because of Cami being at such a low level? That's cheap, really cheap! Being a pokemon trainer isn't about winning every battle, it's about being the best you can be! Come on Cami, let's go home." She swung onto Cami's back as Trey protested profusely.

"That's not what I meant! Hey, come back! I meant it as a compliment!" She disappeared from view, and his shoulders slumped. "A prodigy trainer and I alienate myself," he told Growlithe. "Great."

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How is it so far? Making sense? I'm having fun writing it. Can't wait to get to some of the later parts.

Note: Due to author's imagination building on everything, fic is based at different points on anime, game, and manga.

Cheerio!


	5. Birthday Gifts and Secrets

By the time Chira got home, she had managed to cool off for the most part. She was still angry with the boy, but Cami had managed to persuade her that she would never see him again, so she was doing her best to push it to the back of her mind. She put Cami in her pen and leaned against the fence.

"Chira," Cami said, nuzzling her arm. "Think of it this way, at least we won. We showed him up. He thought he would win be default, but we showed him that level doesn't make a difference. We won our first trainer battle against all odds!"

"I know. I still can't help but be angry with him. Trainers like him are complete…" Chira paused, struggling to find the right word.

"Dolts?" Cami supplied, copying Chira's father's favorite word.

Chira smiled. "Yeah."

The back door banged shut. "Chira! Where have you been? Your guests are all waiting on you." Her mother bustled over. Chira was amazed at how late it was. She had lost track of the time in the forest and had been to upset on the ride home to notice the setting sun. "Look at you. You're a mess. You get upstairs right now and clean up. And be quick about it!"

"Yes, ma'am," Chira muttered, quickly complying with her mother's wishes.

Right before getting inside, she heard her mother ask Cami, "Why does she have to be so much like her father?"

The guests had all gone home and the party debris cleaned up. Chira was curled up on their living room sofa, waging war with an acute disappointment. Every year for her birthday, she could only hope her parents gave her the one gift she had always wanted, her trainer's license. She had thought she would get it when she turned ten, and every year after that her dream took form and was crushed. Though she wouldn't trade Cami for the world, the rest of her birthday gifts were hardly ever touched. She sighed.

"Chira," her mother said softly. "There's one last gift you didn't open." Chira sat up and took the small package out of her mother's hand. She started to open it half-heartedly.

"Who's it from?" she asked. She didn't remember seeing it during the party. It was wrapped in dark blue wrapping paper covered with Ponyta and Rapidash, tied with a hot pink ribbon. When her parents didn't answer her, she looked up. "Mom? Dad?"

"Open it and you'll find out."

She gave them a puzzled glare and tore the last of the paper off, leaving a plain shoe box. She carefully opened it and stared. Inside were a pokedex, six pokeballs, a map of Kanto, and money. She looked at her parents.

"I-I don't understand," she said in a daze.

"Honey," her mom said. "We've talked it over, and we decided that you can become a pokemon trainer. We figured that since you would probably get it the moment you turned eighteen anyway, you might as well go with our blessing."

"B-But what about the test?"

"We know you have been taking tests that your friend Sandy has been sending you from her trainer's journey, so we got on your computer and saw how hard they were. We couldn't even answer the first three. So we got special permission and got you your license."

Chira looked at the objects in the box again. "I don't know what to say," she said at length.

"How about 'Thank-You?'" Her father said.

She nodded. "That works."

Her parents burst out laughing. "How long do you think before she realizes it isn't a dream?" her mother asked her father.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe until she starts on her journey day after tomorrow?"

"What?!" Chira jumped up. "No way! I'm not even packed! I didn't have time to prepare. I have to say goodbye to my friends! I-"

"Chira, calm down. Your friends already know. They'll be there when you leave."

"Really? Oh, you guys are the greatest! Thank-You, thank-you, thank-you." She hugged them tightly, finally starting to come out of her shock.

Her mother pushed her back. "If you are going to be leaving day after tomorrow, there is a lot that needs to be done. Let's get moving, shall we?"

Chira bounced out of the room, the box clutched tightly to her chest.

Her mother looked at her husband. "She's really leaving, isn't she?" she asked, fighting the emotion. "Do we have to tell her?"

"I'm afraid so. We can't keep it a secret forever."

"I know, but… Can't we wait until she comes back?"

"She might find it out on her journey, and then what will she think of us? No, we have to tell her now. Otherwise, she might never come back."

"Mom, where are that pair of jeans I asked you to wash?" Chira's shout came down the stairs.

"Be right there, Honey." With a look at her husband, she went to help her daughter pack.

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Wow, didn't see that coming, did you? Well, since this is a pokemon fanfiction, it's kind of obvious she's going to be a pokemon trainer. But what of the secret? Well, that, actually, is what's going to set this whole thing in motion. Have fun people, and review! Think about your stories. Do you want reviews? Then review other people's stories. I have 1 review out of fifty-seven hits! What's wrong with that!

Anyway, I am having a blast writing this. Hope you're enjoying it! Arrivederci!


	6. I'm WHAT!

It was the evening before Chira was set to leave, and she had just got back from saying goodbye to her pokemon friends in the forest. She had promised her dad to make it quick, only getting to go at all due to the fact she could actually communicate with them. Her immediate family were the only ones who knew she could, and they had found out when she started talking to trainer's pokemon in their own language on a vacation. Chira now knew what a unique gift it was, and she told no one. Her best friend was the only one outside of her family that knew, but her parents didn't know about that. They had forbidden her telling anyone. She had just felt so bad about it though, and her best friend loved to keep secrets. Chira trusted her unquestionably.

She put Cami in the pen, and pulled out her pokedex. She hadn't let go of it since receiving it. "Can you believe it, Cami? I have my trainer's license! And we're leaving tomorrow for our journey! I can't wait!" She leaned against Cami. "Maybe we'll get to enter competitions and go against masters. Maybe we'll find rare and unique pokemon." She looked up at the stars just starting to come out. "But whatever happens, we don't catch any who don't want to come with us, agreed?"

Cami snorted. "Agreed. Now you better get inside. We both need our sleep for tomorrow. And don't forget to pack apples and your mother's granola."

Chira grunted. "Pig."

"Speaking of your mother," Cami said, choosing to ignore that last remark. "She's in the window waiting for you to go in."

"Yeah, you're right. Goodnight. Can you believe we're leaving tomorrow?" Cami entered the barn, headed for her stall. Chira would have been sleeping out in the barn with her, but her parents had forbidden her. She bounced up the steps, wondering how ever she was going to fall asleep when she was so wound up.

She entered the house and immediately headed for the kitchen. "Hey, Mom. Cami wants some of your granola packed. Do you have any made that we could take?"

"Of course," her mother grabbed a bag out of the cupboard. Chira frowned. She seemed kind of distracted.

"What's up, Mom? Your not getting all depressed on me, are you?"

She shook her head. "No, no. Just… Could you wait for your father? He'll be in shortly. He wanted to talk to you before you left."

"Sure." Chira grabbed a sucker out of a basket, settling herself on a stool at the counter. "So, do you think I have a chance at becoming as famous as Ash Ketchum?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Of course!" her mother quickly responded. "Are you doubting yourself?"

Chira blushed. "No… I was just… Sorry." She ended with a mumble.   
Her mother cupped her chin in her hand. "Chira, just do your best, and you will shine brighter than anyone else, do you here me?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

Her father came in at that moment, carrying a small lockbox she had seen in their room many times. He set it on the table and came over to hug her. "I love you, Chira. Don't ever forget that. And your mother loves you too."

"Whoa," she said. "Don't everyone get all emotional on me. I'll keep in touch, I promise. I'll even ring you as soon as I reach my first pokecenter. Don't worry about me."

Her father stepped back, and her mother came to stand next to him. "Chira," he began. "We have something to tell you." His voice cracked, and her mother took it up.

"We haven't been entirely truthful with you all these years. You see," she paused, then plunged forward. "You aren't really our child. You were adopted."

Chira looked from one to the other. "You're kidding, right? I mean, I know I don't look like either one of you, but recessive genes!"  
Her father was shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Chira, but…"

Her mother was opening the lockbox. She pulled out two pieces of paper and handed them to Chira. "We found you on our doorstep when you were three years old. These came with you." Chira took them and blinked back tears.

One was a note written in a very sloppy form. The other was a picture of a man and a woman standing in front of a building with a baby in their arms, and a dragonite behind them. The man had a belt with six pokeballs on it. "I can't believe it…" Chira said. They looked familiar, and Chira immediately knew it was because she saw them whenever she looked in a mirror. The resemblance was uncanny. Even if they didn't look that much alike, she knew the woman was at least her mother. She fingered her hair, knowing if she didn't have the dye in, it would be the exact same color as the woman's, and her eyes…

"So it's true," Chira finally managed to choke. There was no mistaking it. These were her parents. "Why didn't you tell me before now?" she asked, turning pain filled eyes upon them.

"We didn't know how," her mother replied, looking away. "I guess we hoped that if we didn't, we wouldn't have to. We should have known better."

"Now that you are leaving on your trainer's journey," her father told her. "We knew we had to tell you. It would have hurt too much for you to have found out some other way."

Chira swallowed. "Thank-you for telling me. And don't worry, no matter what, you will always be my parents. But… Will it hurt you if I look for my birth parents while on my journey?"

"Of course not, Honey. And you will always be our little girl." Her parents hugged her. She knew it would take a little while to get over her parents' betrayal, but she also knew she eventually would. Might as well leave on good terms when who knew what might happen between now and the next time they saw each other.

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sniff, sniff so sad, and yet so sweet. sniff smart kid. Why can't I be that smart? Oh, well, emotional kick over. Well, how was that surprise? Now the fun begin. rubs hands together and laughs evilly Stay tune for more surprises after the break.


	7. What a day

"Let's stop here for supper, Cami," Chira said, looking around at the open field they were currently traveling through. They had left at sunrise that morning and had been traveling all day. Chira effortlessly set up a small fire while Cami grazed on the field grass. She got the oatmeal that her mother had sent along cooking, and leaned back against a log to rest. She had tried to act normal this morning, but she couldn't think if she had or not. Her friends had been real happy for her that she had her trainer's license, though most of them had already been on their trainer's journey.

Chira pulled out the picture of her birth family. Her dad had caught a dragonite. Amazing. _I really want to find them. But… Why did they not want me? Are they even alive? They look really happy together. I don't think they would have given me up by choice._

Cami came and laid down beside her. "Where are we going?" She asked. The two had just headed West toward Viridian City. They weren't sure where they were going after that. Chira kind of wanted to get badges, but she also wanted to find out about her parents.

"I'm not sure," she said at length. "I don't know where to start looking for my parents, so I guess we can just work for our badges." She sighed. "I really want to find them, if they're still alive." She looked up at the darkening sky. "Do you have any ideas?"

Cami shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm at the same point you are. What is the nearest gym?"

"Pewter City, probably." She moved the oatmeal off the fire and kicked some dirt over it. "But the gym leader there specializes in rock pokemon. Fire won't do much against him."

Cami looked to some bushes about seven meters away. She stood up. "Who's there?" she nickered. The bushes shivered. Chira stood up as well.

"Cami?" she asked softly.

"Stay put," Cami ordered, approaching the bushes. "Show yourself if you do not want your home to become ashes."

A muffled voice came through the leaves. "This isn't my home!" It came lunging out at Cami just as Chira discerned the voice to be from a raticate.

"Cami!" she called. It used Quick Attack to get close enough to latch onto Cami's neck and hung there, swaying gently. Chira stared in shock. Cami blinked and used Fire Spin to envelop the raticate in flames. Chira cringed at the scream of pain, and stepped to the side as it came flying out of the flames. Cami slowly followed it out, her eyes whirling angrily.

"That attack was the mark of a desperate, pathetic excuse of a pokemon," she said, snorting. She bent down to look it in the eyes, her lip curling at the smell of burned fur. "Now leave before I become carnivorous."

It scurried away, and Chira gazed at Cami in awe. "I didn't know you could do that," she said.

"All you have to do is be intimidating," she said. "Are we going to camp here or somewhere else?"

Chira pulled out the map. "Well, there's no way we can get to Viridian City tonight. If we camp here, we should get there early evening tomorrow. Let's just stay here." She shifted on her feet uncomfortably, wishing for a tub of water to soak them in, not caring whether hot or cold. She had insisted on walking with Cami, not riding, saying it wasn't fair to ride leisurely while Cami did all the work. She was now paying the price, her feet feeling swollen.

She sat down and took her shoes off, wincing. "Okay, next time we're camping by water, agreed?"

Cami whinnied in agreement, though there were undertones of laughter. "You should have told me your feet were hurting. I would have let you ride."

"Made me ride is more like it," Chira said. "I wonder why that raticate attacked us."

Cami looked away. "Not all pokemon are like the ones back home. Some hate trainers and their pokemon enough it becomes their life's mission to inflict as much pain as possible on them. And," She looked Chira in the eye. "I'm afraid that if they knew you could speak pokemon, they would hate you even more."

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Okay, that one wasn't all that long. The attack was basically a space filler around the other important parts like the events of the morning. Next chapter she'll get a pokemon to join her on her journey. Guess which one it is…

I will try to update on a fairly regular schedule, but a lot is happening right now and I don't know if I will be able to or not.

Would it be possible to review? I only have one! Seriously, it doesn't take long to review, I'll even be happy for one or two words. And much as I want nice reviews, be truthful. I won't mind, I'll be thankful for it. Please? I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.


	8. A new friend

Chira pushed open the door to the pokecenter in Viridian City just as the last rays of light were fading from the sky. It had taken longer than planned to reach Viridian, even with Chira riding. It was probably due to the fact that the closer they had come to the city, the more trainers had wanted to battle. Chira had accepted the first three and won, but after that they had pushed to reach Viridian before night fall. Now they had reached it, but dusk had already painted the sky and hidden the sun. She had been surprised at the size of the town and pokecenter both. She had always imagined that Viridian was as small as her beloved little town.

She walked in, and the first thing that hit her was the amount of people. She froze as it overwhelmed her and was able to discern that a good portion of the noise came from the trainers' pokemon. Another bit was from what was going on in the corner. It appeared that the pokecenter personnel were unloading something and taking it into storage rooms.

"Hey, careful with that!" came from a round man who was half talking to two trainers and half supervising the unloading process. A worker had stumbled and almost dropped a large box on his toe in his haste. He looked sheepish and took it a bit slower.

Chira headed to the counter where it appeared the only employee was who wasn't helping unload. Cami was close behind, her hooves clicking on the floor.

"Why did they have to use marble?" she complained. "I feel like I'm going to chip it."

Chira smiled back at her. She reached the counter and the first words out of the attendant's mouth were "You have to Return your ponyta while in the pokecenter."

"Why?" Chira asked. "She won't disturb anyone."

"Large pokemon are not allowed out inside. It gives an overly crowded atmosphere, and some pokemon are too big anyway."

"But…"

"It's the rules." The woman looked at her over her glasses' rims.

"Fine," Chira muttered, taking out a new pokeball. "You heard her, Cami. Return." She tossed the pokeball at her and she was sucked inside. The pokeball didn't even wobble, the button simply turned red. She picked it up and hooked it onto her belt. Just as she did she heard the supervisor saying something again, his voice high pitched.

"C'mon! You have to take it. I've tried everyone! No one wants it! And I do not plan on keeping it all my life! Can't you see the potential it has? You have to take it!"

The trainers were shaking their heads. "Potential? That scraggly mutt? That's like saying the moon is brighter than the sun! No one will believe you."

They turned and started to walk off, the supervisor trailing along behind them, begging. Chira headed over to see what they were talking about. She sucked in a breath when she got there, for on the other side of the reception desk was a thin, bedraggled eevee. Tears welled up in Chira's eyes as she gazed at this tiny, undernourished dog pokemon who was huddled on the floor, chained to the desk. She bent down to pet it, and it shrunk away.

"You poor thing," she cooed softly. Its ears twitched. "He's trying to get rid of you? How could he even think of it? And in your condition, too." She straightened and faced the man as he came stalking back in. He glared at her.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly. "I don't suppose you want that eevee?"

"I do," Chira responded, following him as he continued on.

"Don't play games with me, Girl. I've had a rough day."

"I'm not. I really do want that eevee if you're getting rid of it. How much do you want?" Chira reached for the money her mom had sent along with her. He turned to face her.

"You really are serious?"

She nodded.

"You can have it for free. It's not worth any money."

She put her money back in her backpack. "I beg to differ. With a bit of proper nutrition, that eevee will be better than most."

"Girly," he said, going back to work. "You didn't see it before it was this weak."

Chira burned with anger for this cold man, and stood there furiously. She turned away just as he dropped a box on his foot. He yelled, and she smiled as she left him.

She walked back over to the eevee and untied the rope around its neck. "There now, you'll be alright. Let's get you some food." Picking it up, she took it over to the cafeteria part of the pokecenter and got a plate of food. "So what's your name?" she asked as she gave it a piece of meat. It was skeptical at first about this human that was so kind to it, but then slowly reached for the food. When it realized she wasn't going to harm it, it tore into the meat ravenously.

Chira carefully made sure not to show her anger for it to it as she realized it had been abused. She waited for it to finish the meat, and then held another piece out for it. But she didn't give it to it right away.

"First your name, then your food," she said conversationally. It looked at her for a moment, weighing its options.

Finally its hunger won over. "Not that you can understand me, but my mother always called me Insight."

Chira gave her the meat as she studied her. "Insight," she murmured. "Interesting choice for an eevee. Why might I ask?"

Insight stared at her. "You can understand me?"

"Of course." Chira waved a hand, dismissing this revelation. She gave her some more meat and put the rest in a goody bag. "We don't want you eating too much at a time," she said as explanation.

Insight was still staring at her, though eating as well. "Can all humans understand me?" she asked, her voice catching slightly.

Chira shook her head. "No. As far as I know, I'm the only one." She picked up Insight and headed to her room. "No one else even knows I can understand pokemon, so I won't be able to answer any questions you might have around other humans."

"Do you travel with any other pokemon?" Insight asked.

"One other, a ponyta named Cami. You'll like her." Chira opened the door to her room and entered, checking to make sure no one else was in there. "That is, if you want to travel with us. I'll feed you as much as you want, but you are staying with us until you are fully recovered whether you want to or not."

Insight nodded. "I'll travel with you, you saved me!"

Chira smiled. "You don't have to decide now, but what we do have to do is give you a bath. When was the last time you had one?"

Insight blushed. "I can't remember. My old trainer didn't exactly like me, I was too weak."

Chira felt boiling hot anger against that man rise again. "You are strong. You just have to believe in yourself. And I will make sure you become stronger than you have ever been before! Now, about that bath…"

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Whew, what a promise. I hope she is able to keep it. And will Insight decide to travel with her when the time comes? Tune in for the next installment of Ancient Gift. Now, what to write next chapter…


	9. A day of travels

"I'm so happy you two get along," Chira told Insight and Cami as she stuck her bare feet in a stream. Insight was curled against her thigh and Cami was patiently grazing a couple feet away from the stream. As soon as Chira had left the pokecenter that morning, she had released Cami and Insight. Cami had scrutinized Insight, then given her silent approval by turning and nudging Chira. Chira and Insight had ridden on Cami all morning, but none of them were tired. Chira was playing with an idea in her mind.

"Cami," she said, wiggling her toes in the cool water. "What would you say we make your training into the rides between towns. It could easily be interrupted, but we haven't trained at all since we left home."

Cami nodded assent and Insight looked at Chira questioningly. "Training?" she asked.

Chira dug some pokechow out of her bag and gave it to Insight. "We promised each other we would do our best, and that's what we plan to do. Therefore, we train to be at our best, well, at least we did before we left home. We haven't been able to fall into a pattern of training yet."

"How do you train?" Insight asked around mouthfuls, intrigued.

"Well, we would increase our speed, there was target practice, we might wrestle other pokemon. Pretty much whatever we could think of that would prove beneficial." Chira smiled.

Insight's black eyes glittered. "Will I be able to train as well?"

Chira laughed and rumpled the fur on top of her head. "Of course. The more the merrier. But it is hard work."

Cami snorted. "Just try to keep up, Munchkin. All you'll be seeing are my back hooves."

Insight jumped up. "I'm tougher than I look, I'll have you know."

Chira grabbed the scruff of her neck. "No one doubts it. But you are going to take it easy until you're fully healed, if you start before then."

"If!" she squeaked. "Oh, please let me start right away. I promise I'll do well."

"I know you would, Insight, but I'm scared you would over do it. Until you're fully healed, you won't be training anywhere near as hard as Cami and I. Now, I think we've rested long enough. Let's head to Pewter City and that boulder badge!"

Cami snorted. "So we are going to Pewter first? What are we going to do about my type disadvantage?"

"I'm not sure yet," Chira answered truthfully. "But we are going to do something, we don't have a choice."

Insight yipped. "Am I going to be able to battle?"

"I don't think so," Chira told her, settling her pack on her back. "Maybe next gym." She swung up onto Cami and Insight jumped, only getting up because Chira caught her. "See? You aren't even strong enough to get on Cami's back alone, you are definitely not ready to go into battle. I'm sorry if I seem rather harsh, I'm just being truthful." She rubbed Insight's ears.

"I understand," Insight said. "But when I am strong enough to battle, you can bet I'll be ready."

Cami was trotting easily, being careful not to jar Insight too much. Chira was thinking. Insight was daydreaming. Chira clapped her hands together. "When we do start training you, I think a good place to start would be speed. What do you say, Cami?"

Cami shook her mane. "That would be a good. With speed, it doesn't matter if you have strength or not, you can still come out the victor. Of course, if facing someone with speed, it would be good to have strength and other factors on your side. But speed would be a good place to start. Isn't that where I started?"

Chira nodded. "It was. We would race the pokemon in the forest, until the day we would always beat them by a landslide. Of course, you being naturally fast probably had something to do with it."

Cami whinnied. "But it still felt good to be the fastest pokemon around those parts."

Chira laughed. "Yeah, that it did, that it did."

Chira yawned, stretching her arms. The rocking motion of Cami's walk reminded her of rocking a baby to sleep. Insight was already asleep somehow. _Poor thing must be exhausted,_ she thought. They had had her walk part of the time, when Chira had walked that day, and they had run a bit. By the time they had stopped running, Insight was panting and stumbling, barely able to keep going. She had collapsed as soon as they stopped. Chira felt bad, for she had forgotten how weak Insight was and hadn't been watching her for when she reached her limit.

Now the edge of Viridian forest was just visible, a dark outline against the darkening sky.

"We had better make camp outside the forest, Cami. We don't know any of the pokemon in there, and personally I don't want to travel through there at night."

"Why not?" Cami asked, stopping by a small rock outcropping. "I would protect you, you know that."

"Yeah, but there's also Insight to think about. And I really don't want to wake up in the middle of the night to find a swarm of mankey in our camp. I want a full night of sleep."

"I suppose you're right," Cami said, thinking about it. "A full night of sleep would be nice."

Chira carefully slipped from Cami's back, Insight in her arms. She set her down on a thicker patch of grass and dropped her pack next to her. They quickly set up camp.

Chira leaned back against Cami as they sat around the small fire they had made. Chira was wrapped in her sleeping bag, staring at the stars. After a little while, Cami's voice broke the companionable silence. "You're thinking about your birth parents, aren't you?"

"I wonder what they were like," was Chira's answer. "Why did they leave me? Are they really dead? If so, I will never be able to meet them and learn what they were like. Why did they die? And how did I end up with my current parents."

"Those are some pretty intense questions. And I'm sorry, but I don't have the answers."

"I know you don't. And I know it won't do any good to keep dwelling on them, but…"

"You can't help it."

Chira nodded. "Yeah."

"Chira, you're my very best friend, and it kills me to say this, but I don't have any sage words of advice for you. I have nothing to tell you that would help in any ways. I can only say this. Get some sleep. Leave tomorrows questions for tomorrow. Don't dwell on the past or the future. Just live in the present."

"Thanks, Cami. I guess I needed that. I'll try to get some sleep."

Insight half-woke and nestled against Chira, immediately going back to sleep. Chira lay awake for several more hours before smiling as a plan took shape in her head. She closed her eyes and was asleep within moments.

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Whoa, this story reminds me of the energizer bunny. It just keeps going, and going, and going. And I'm not even close to a quarter of the way through. Go me! This just might end up being the longest story I have ever written. I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am! Woohoo!


	10. Another battle and Indigo Plateau

Chira stretched again, wishing she had a water supply nearby that she could wash her face in. She was exhausted and hurt all over. She stood up with a moan, glaring at a laughing Cami. "I don't see what's so funny this early in the morning," she said, not even pretending to be in a good mood.

"You should sleep on the ground more often. After a while, you don't even notice how hard it is." Cami was having a good time watching Chira's discomfort.

Insight came scampering over from where she had been exploring the forest's edge. "We go through Viridian Forest today! I'm so excited! I've never been on the other side of it. Do you think we'll get into a lot of battles?"

Cami nickered. "If we do, you won't be fighting in any of them. I'm surprised you are as alert as you are. I thought you would have been more tired than Chira here who happens to hold the record for sleeping in the longest."

Chira glared at the horse. "Oh, if you're so much more awake than us, why don't you go and find us something to eat along with this oatmeal?"  
Cami motioned with her head to the endless fields of grass. "It's not my fault you don't like grass," she said wickedly.

"Har dee har har. You're soooo funny."

Insight burst into fits of laughter. "You two are so funny to listen to! It's obvious you have known each other for a long time. When did you meet for the first time?"

Chira spooned some oatmeal into her mouth. "My twelfth birthday was when Cami arrived at my home."

"I detested Chira at first. I didn't have that great an experience with humans. Eventually, though, Chira won me over, and it seems we've been friends for forever." Cami stood up and trotted around their small camp. "Now hurry up, Chira, I have an itch to get moving again."

"Hold on, I'm almost done." Chira rinsed the pan out with some water and quickly packed up the rest of camp. Within moments, they were on their way, all walking.

They entered the shade of the trees and before long Chira was shivering. "It's so cold," she murmured.

Cami replied smartly. "That's because you don't have fur to keep you warm. Humans are so pathetic. You don't even have any form of protection."

"Well, sorry. Not everyone can be born with a fire mane and tail." It was a debate they had had numerous times, enough that it had become a running dialogue that never really changed. It had become a kind of joke between the two.  
Poor Insight, though, had no idea, so she was trying to stay out of it while feeling like she had to defend one or the other. The result was she ended up defending both sides at different times with comments like,

"Humans have adapted to their vulnerability very well" or "She has quite a good point there."

Finally Chira couldn't take it anymore, she started to explain to Insight, while fighting laughter, that it was a joke and neither side was serious. Insight huffed.

"Well, next time, could you explain that before you start arguing with each other?"

"Sure," Chira smiled.

Cami's ears flicked forward, and she stopped. Insight paused to listen and heard it too. "What is it?" Chira asked quietly.

"A group of humans, trainer's by their discussion, heading this way." Insight responded.

Cami asked, "Do we want to encounter them or not?"

"Your choice," Chira said. "Personally, I don't have a preference."

"It doesn't matter to me," Cami said. "I could use a battle to wake up a bit more."

They looked at Insight. She shrugged. "I'm too new an addition to have a say. I don't care."

Chira smiled. "It would be less work to meet them, we might as well."

Soon Chira could hear the voices as well. It sounded like the owners were in a arguing. It didn't take long before what they were saying could be made out.

"You don't stand a chance. Those other trainers will wipe the floor with you." One was attacking another one.

"Will not! You just watch and see! I'm going to end up winning and I'll get the prize match!" The other was defending.

"Yeah, right. In your dreams. I wonder who the prize match will be against anyway. Probably an Elite Four member."

"Well, that one I don't care if I win or lose. I'll still be able to say I battled someone from the Elite Four."

Chira speeded up. These voices were getting on her nerves. The problem was, Chira had always had exceptional hearing, so she always heard people before they heard her. She tried to ignore them and for the most part succeeded until they were right around the next bend in the path. Both parties came to a fork in the path at the same time. Chira stopped and studied the two trainers. One was obviously inexperienced, for he pulled his pokedex out of his pocket and used it on Cami and Insight. He had dark brown bangs that wouldn't stay out of his grey eyes. He looked to be eleven or twelve. His friend was about a half-foot taller with hair that was almost black. His eyes were also grey, but whereas the first one's were a silver grey, his were stormy. He appeared to be around Chira's age, maybe a couple years older.

The taller one studied her and her pokemon. "Interesting," he said. "I'm surprised you're going toward Pewter."

Chira leaned casually against Cami. "We're going to get the Boulder Badge. Like most trainers try to get." She gave him a smile.

"Well, I was just meaning that most trainers at the moment are headed toward Viridian and Indigo Plateau for the competition."

"Comp-etition?" Chira was taken aback.

"You mean you didn't know about it?" He was genuinely surprised. "I thought everyone in Kanto knew about it."

The trainer with the pokedex stared at her. "It's been all over the news! How could you not have heard about it?"

Chira looked at Cami. "I guess that's why the pokemon center in Viridian was so crowded." She nodded, exhaling.

"Everyone's talking about it!" The younger one continued. "Along with the regular competition prizes, the winner will be able to battle one of the most famous trainers of all time! And if they win, there's this surprise that they'll get."

"Who is the famous trainer?"

"No one knows," the older one said, shrugging. "We're guessing it'll be someone from the Elite Four."

Chira nodded, not bothering to tell them that she had heard most of their conversation. "So are you going to participate?"

The first one answered her. "I am, but Jordan won't. Says he doesn't want to, but I think he's scared."

Jordan gave him a noogie, while smiling deceptively. "You'll have to excuse my cousin, he's a bit eccentric."

Chira nodded, looking up at the trees. "Do you know if the Pewter City Gym leader is still there?"

Jordan nodded. "I think he's leaving for Indigo Plateau tomorrow. If you hurry, you might be able to catch him."

Chira smiled at them. "I will, thanks."

Jordan paused, then smiled. "Hey, how about a battle? My cousin's pokemon against your eevee."

Chira was shaking her head even as the younger one was protesting. "Why don't you battle her, Jordan?"

"Because you're the one that needs the experience if you're going to enter at Indigo Plateau. Besides, she doesn't seem to be strong enough for it to be a match if she battled me."

"I'm sorry," Chira interrupted. "But Insight can't battle." At their blank looks she realized her mistake. "My eevee. She's not strong enough to battle yet. I got her from an abusive trainer two days ago, and she's still regaining her strength."

Insight protested. "I can too. I'm strong enough! I promise."

Cami told her to hush as Jordan said, "She doesn't look like she's not perfectly healthy."

Looking at Insight, Chira was prone to believe him, but there was still something that held her back. She shook her head. "How about against Cami, my ponyta?"

Jordan faced his cousin. "Why not, Chris? It would be good practice."

Chris nodded. "Fine."

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Ooh, another trainer battle. Who will win? Stay tuned to find out.


	11. Up a tree, down a cliff

With that, Chris grabbed one of the pokeballs off his belt and threw it. "Go, Squirt!" A wartortle appeared and took a fighting stance.

"Cami, you know what to do!" Chira said and Cami leapt forward, immediately charging the wartortle.

Insight sat down, exasperated. "I wanted to battle."

Chira looked at her and her heart broke. She scooped her up into a hug and cuddled her. "You're not strong enough yet. Give yourself time to heal; after all, it's only been two days. Maybe next time we have a trainer battle. But I still maintain that you're not battling in the gym match."

"Hey, pay attention!"

Chira turned to find Cami on the lowest branch of a huge tree as Squirt tried to hit her with Water Gun. She laughed. "Cami, that's not fair and you know it!" She called.

Jordan just stared at them. "Amazing," he murmured under his breath. Chira knew he didn't mean for her to hear, so she didn't make any indication that she had. "I've never seen anything like that ponyta." Chira fought a smile. "Climbing a tree without a thought. I've never even heard of anything happening like this." He looked at Chira. "Who is this girl?"

"Cami, we still need to get to Pewter before the Gym Leader leaves, so hurry up!"

Cami whinnied, "You're no fun!" But she obediently jumped down, using stomp on the wartortle, knocking it out immediately. The two boys were silent as Chira congratulated Cami on her victory.

"Way to go, Jordan," Chris said as he recalled Squirt. "You just had to set me up against an experienced trainer."

"I don't get it," Jordan said to Chira at length. "If you're an experienced trainer, why aren't you headed to Indigo? And why are your pokemon outside of their pokeballs?"

Chira answered his questions with some of her own. "What's wrong with their being outside their pokeballs? And why aren't you participating in the Indigo competition?"

"Good point," Jordan looked properly chastised. "But most experienced trainers don't let their pokemon run wild."

"Well, I'm not like most trainers."

"Are you at least going to go to watch the competition?"

"I don't know… I hadn't thought about it. But perhaps it could prove fortuitous…" _Maybe someone there will know about my parents. _"Definitely not until after I go to Pewter."

"Than maybe we will meet you there."

"Sure. Maybe."

They started to walk away, but Jordan turned back. "I never caught your name," he said.

Chira smiled. "It's Chira."

"Chira? What kind of name is that?" Chris asked.

Jordan hushed him.

"Don't worry; I know it's not a common name. And to tell the truth, I'm not sure why I was named it. Well, we'll see you, if not at Indigo, than around. Bye!" With that, Insight and Chira were on Cami and off.

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I know it's a short chapter, but next one will be longer. Next one will be Chira's first gym battle. That will be fun. Well, either next chapter or the one after that. What do you think so far? The thing I'm concerned the most about is its making sense. Does it? Review and tell me what you think! Over and out, Shadow Shamira.


	12. Pewter City

They arrived in Pewter City early the next morning, tired to the bone. Chira had insisted they ride through the night. "We can rest when we get there and get the Boulder Badge," were her words.

Cami was game, running at a good pace for the most part. Occasionally, she had to slow to a walk, but they had made good time, especially with all the challenges they had gotten from wild pokemon along the way. The last one had been from a relatively weak caterpie, so Chira had let Insight battle it. She had managed to win, but was incredibly tired now. Chira shifted her hold on the sleeping dog as they entered the city.

"So this is Pewter," she said, looking all around her. "I wonder where the gym is located."

"You're looking for the gym, you say?" A voice startled both who were awake. They swung around to their left looking for the owner. "That means you're also looking for the Gym Leader."

"Yeah," Chira said, finally spotting who was talking. "We are."

"Well, the Gym Leader isn't going to be at the Gym this time of day, and I'm not too sure he'll be at the Gym at all today. He's getting ready to go to Indigo Plateau for that big competition." The speaker was an old man who was apparently on his way home with groceries. He had thinning grey hair that used to be brown, judging by the streaks through his hair that weren't grey.

"Oh, but I have to battle him!" Chira told him. "I only started my trainer's journey a few days ago, and I need the Boulder Badge!"

"Well, why aren't you headed to Indigo like the rest of Kanto's trainers? Even the new ones who can't participate are going to try to learn something from the more experienced trainers."

Chira bit her lip. "Can't he just take a break and battle me? I'm already here…"

"Well, come with me. Your ponyta is tuckered out, even if you can battle him, there's no way you'll win with your pokemon that tired. While you eat and rest, I'll see what I can do for you."

"Oh, thank-you so much!" Chira slipped off of Cami, accidentally waking up Insight. They followed him through the streets, finally coming to a small house on the outskirts of town. The man, Flint he had told her on the way, pushed open the door and walked in.

"Brock! We have a guest."

A younger version of Flint stuck his head out of a doorway, a cooking spoon in hand. "Hello," he said. Then he spotted Cami outside the door, "You're a pokemon trainer?"

Chira nodded as Flint said, "She came to challenge the Gym Leader. Put up an argument when I told her he might not be able to battle her today. Her pokemon, though, were falling asleep where they stood. It appears they rode all night to get here."

"I just had to get here before the Gym Leader left!" Chira said.

"Why?" Brock asked.  
Chira faltered. "I-I'm not… Well, I'm here anyway, might as well get the Boulder Badge, right?"

Brock raised his eyebrows at Flint. "A convincing argument?" he asked skeptically.

Flint shrugged. "I never said it was convincing, I just said it was an argument."

Chira started to pick up on what they weren't saying. She realized, not even sure how, that this Brock was the Gym Leader. "Please!" she said. "Oh, please battle me! A Gym Leader can't turn down a challenge from a trainer, right? Well, I challenge you to a battle for a Boulder Badge."

They stared at her. "How did you…" Brock began, but was interrupted by a young woman coming in the door behind Chira.

"Whose ponyta is that out there?" she asked before spotting Chira. "Oh," was all she said.

Flint sighed. "She has a point, Brock. You can't turn down her challenge."

"Well, I can refuse to battle her until her pokemon are ready, at least." Brock went back into the kitchen.

The girl looked from one to the other. "What's going on, Dad?" she finally asked Flint.

He's started to explain what was happening, and Chira went back out to Cami.

"Well, Cami," she said. "This journey thing isn't turning out at all like I planned."

Cami shook her head. "Life is full of surprises."

Chira rested her head against Cami's shoulder and sighed. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"What's wrong, Chira," Insight whined. "You're not just upset because of this badge thing, are you?"

Chira smiled. "I guess I know why your mother called you Insight."

Insight smiled.

"So you came to challenge my brother." The girl who had arrived mid discussion was standing outside, watching her. "I'm Susie." She extended her hand. Chira shook it. "My brother is trying to finish getting ready to go to Indigo, but you were right when you said he couldn't refuse your challenge."

Chira felt bad. "I don't want him to get there late, but…"

"Don't worry, we all understand. My brother and father were both in your position before, they don't begrudge you your enthusiasm for your first badge."

"Thanks," Chira said, smiling. "I appreciate that."

"Now why don't you come inside. Breakfast is almost ready, and after we eat, you and Brock will battle."

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Okay, so this chapter isn't the one with her first Gym battle, but the next one will be!


	13. A Gym Battle and Clues

"This will be a one on one battle, two pokemon each. The first to knock out both of the opponent's pokemon will be declared the winner. During this match, the challenger will be able to change pokemon at any time, but the Gym Leader's pokemon must remain on the field until either it wins or is unable to battle. Any questions?"

Chira grimly shook her head. The judge, Flint, was telling them the rules, and Chira was starting to fight anxiety. Would Cami be able to win? She hoped so. She still didn't have a clue how she was going to be able to beat the type disadvantage, and Cami knew this. But there was no way she was going to send Insight in.

"Then let the battle commence!" Flint gave the order and they both sent out there first pokemon.

"Graveler, go!" Brock threw a pokeball as Chira nodded to Cami. The ponyta jumped into the field and Brock just stared at her. "Are you crazy?" he asked. "Even the most novice trainer doesn't make the mistake of sending a fire type against a rock type."

"Don't worry about us, worry about yourself," Chira told him. "Cami, use Quick Attack!" _No matter how little damage it takes, it should still take some._

"Graveler, use Rollout!" Graverler began rolling toward the incoming Cami, and she jumped out of the way at the last moment. The disturbed air hit her and threw her to the side.

"Cami!" Chira bit her lip. The horse pokemon stood up and used Agility to get close to Graveler. It responded by using Rock Throw, but she dodged it and hit it with Stomp. It stumbled back, and threw a punch at Cami. She was too slow and was hit full force.

_NO! Cami! I've got to do something. There's no way she can win at this rate. I wish I had a water pokemon. Wait! That's it! All Gym's are equipped with..._ "Cami! Use Fire Blast on the ceiling!"

"What?" Brock stared at her, then realized what she was doing. "Graveler, stop it!"

Graveler charged it but it was too late. Chira hadn't trained Cami just to move with speed, but to execute her attacks with speed as well. A pillar of fire was shot toward the ceiling and hit the sprinklers. They immediately kicked in and sent a spray of water down on the field. Chira smiled then realized her mistake. The water was weakening Cami as well.

"No!" _Way to go, Genius. _"Gotta finish this fast. Cami, use Stomp as much as you can!" Cami started kicking the graveler super fast, combining it with Agility as well. Soon though, she was slowing down. But the water had done its job.

"Graveler! Return!" Brock called his pokemon back to its pokeball. The sprinklers had stopped, but Chira had called right. They had weakened it. Cami, though, was panting heavily. "Your ponyta must trust you a lot to have put itself under water just to beat my graveler. But unfortunately for you, I doubt it will survive my next choice." He threw a pokeball. "Go, Sudowoodo!"

Chira stared at the strange tree pokemon. "A Sudowoodo, huh? Well, Cami can take care of that." _I hope._

"Sudowoodo, Rock Smash!" Its branch arm glowed white and it charged Cami, who dodged and responded with a Stomp attack. Sudowoodo dodged and managed to recover fast enough to hit Cami with Rock Smash, sending her flying back.

"Cami!" Chira cried. Cami shakily stood up.

"Sudowoodo, finish it! Use Rock Throw!" Sudowoodo picked up a rock and heaved it at Cami, who was too weak to dodge it in time.

"No!" The rock crashed into Cami before Chira could Return her, knocking her out immediately. "Good job, Cami. Return." Chira looked at Brock. "I can't-"

Insight bit Chira's leg. "Let me try, Chira. What harm is there in trying?"

Chira looked at her, torn between getting a badge and keeping Insight safe. "I can't do that. You're still too weak."

"I can still try. What's the worst that can happen?"

Chira closed her mouth on all the possibilities. She could see that Insight was set on battling. "Fine, but be careful."

Insight nodded. "I will." She hopped into the arena and faced the sudowoodo.

Chira immediately set to work on finding out what moves Insight knew. "Insight, Tackle." Insight charged the rock-tree pokemon. Brock laughed.

"You think an eevee can beat my sudowoodo? I'll show you. Sudowoodo, Magnitude!" It began throwing every rock it could reach at the eevee, who was doing a valiant job of dodging them. At the last moment, Sudowoodo jumped out of the way, but Insight had counted on that and still hit it. It was thrown back a couple meters, landing in the middle a puddle made in the last round. It quickly got back up and, on Brock's order, used Rock Smash, nailing eevee on a leg. She limped a couple steps, and turned to face it in a fighting stance.

"Insight, Leer!" Insight glared at the sudowoodo, who barely reacted. Chira bit her lip as it hit Insight with a Rock Throw. Insight was losing HP, and fast. "There's got to be something," Chira murmured to herself. "Insight, use Quick Attack to get close to it," Chira said, and as it was using Quick Attack, she continued giving orders. "Go into a Tackle and ram it for all it's worth! Now use Bite and Tackle it again."

Brock tried to give orders, but Insight was executing the attacks to fast for Sudowoodo to do anything about it. Her last tackle sent it into the puddle of water again, and Insight landed on it, preventing it from getting up again. Sudowoodo tried to get up, but failed, finally just collapsing.

"Insight," Chira called. "That's enough, get off of it." Insight slowly got off of Sudowoodo, and when it didn't move, Flint proclaimed, "Sudowoodo is unable to battle. The challenger Chira Tuscone is the winner!"

Chira cheered and hugged Insight. "I'm sorry for doubting you," she said. "I should have realized you were just as good as Cami."

Brock approached. "Congratulations, Chira. You've earned the Boulder Badge." He handed her a small badge in the shape of a boulder, and she carefully got out the badge case one of her friends had given her before she left. She put it in and blinked back tears. She was really living her dream now. She put the case back in her pack, noticing a couple folded pieces of paper. She grabbed them out, took a deep breath, and approached Brock.

"Brock," she said, looking down. "I want to thank you for the great match. I appreciate your taking time out that you could be packing, even if I didn't give you much of a choice." She took a deep breath. "I just have one small favor to ask." She handed him the picture of her parents. "Do you know these people? This picture was taken a while ago, but…"

He stared at the picture, then looked at her. "I'm sorry, no."

"Are you sure?" Chira asked. Though she hadn't expected it to be easy, on the contrary, she had hoped it wouldn't take all the Gym Leader's to find out who they were.

He smiled. "I think I would have remembered a dragonite trainer, and I most definitely would have remembered someone with such unusual hair. No, I truly am sorry, but I have never met them before."

She took back the picture. "Oh, alright. Thanks, I guess."

He studied her, and after a moment said, "If it helps, I can tell you where the picture was taken."

"You could?" Chira asked, hope shining in her eyes. "Really? Where?"

He smiled. "Right outside the main doors of Indigo Plateau."

She was silent, digesting this information.

"Someone there might remember them," he said helpfully.

"Thank-you," Chira said in a daze. "I guess you're right. I appreciate it. Now, I guess I am headed to the competition at Indigo Plateau as soon as my pokemon are healed."

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Yes! One badge down…


	14. Calling Home

Chira and company arrived in Viridian again at sunset, and didn't have a choice but to stay at the pokecenter. Chira returned Insight and Cami before entering, remembering the last time they had been there. They had ridden hard to arrive in Viridian from Pewter in half the time it had taken to get there.

Now Chira pushed open the double doors and froze as the amount of people and pokemon inside overwhelmed her. Everyone was talking and laughing. It seemed like everyone knew each other. No one was out of the loop, except maybe a group in the corner who everyone seemed to defer to. Chira got some food and headed over to the telephones. Her mother answered on the first ring.

"Hey, Sweetie, how are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Mom. How's everything on the home base?"

"Everything is going well, but everyone misses you, especially Growlithe. We haven't heard from you since you were at the pokecenter in Viridian. How are you doing on your pokemon journey?"

"I'm doing really well. I got the Boulder Badge thanks to Insight, and now I'm back at the pokecenter in Viridian."

"Why?"

"I guess I'm headed to Indigo Plateau for that pokemon competition."

"Are you going to participate? I don't see how you can be ready to enter that kind of thing."

"No, I'm not participating. That picture of my birth parents? It was in front of the main entrance of Indigo Plateau. I'm hoping someone there will know them. Maybe they will even be there!" She paused. "If they're even still alive."

Her mother was silent. "Have you read that letter yet?" she asked at length.

"No," Chira said. "I haven't had the courage to. It says their dead, doesn't it?"

Her mother nodded. "I'm afraid so. Honey, you need to read it before too long."

Chira stared at the counter the phone was on. "I will."

"Be strong, Chira. You know your father and I are proud of you."

Chira blinked back tears. "Thanks, Mom. I promise I'll do my best for you. Don't worry about me. I have Cami with me if anything happens. Now I have to go, people want the phone. I love you. Say hi to Dad for me."

"I will. I love you, Chira."

They hung up. Chira stared at the screen for a moment before standing up. She headed to the dining room and sat at a table, thinking. She pulled out the letter and stared at the envelope. She bit her lip and reached for the flap, but stopped. She eventually put it away, unopened. She gathered her things together and left the pokecenter. When she was at the edge of Viridian she released Insight and Cami.

"We're going to spend another night under the stars," she told them. Cami knew not to say anything and nudged Insight to keep her silent. Chira was in a strange mood.

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Lucky chapter thirteen. Yes! Okay, I know this isn't a very good chapter, just bear with me. It'll get better. I had a bit of writer's block on this chapter after the phone call, and I just wrote something. Any suggestions? I would like some input on my story here. Thanks.


	15. The Letter

Yes, I know I haven't touched on what the letter says yet, but that's what happens this chapter.

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_"No!" The scream cut across the fields to where a woman was picking wild flowers. She straightened, only to hear the scream again. She dropped the flowers and took off running. _

_"Lue!" she cried as she held her skirt up to run faster. Her feet carried her over a small hill and she cried out when she saw the sight before her. The village seemed to be on fire, and an army was around the village's protector, a huge pokemon that even in pain had a majestic air to it. _

_She raced down to the village and pushed her way through the soldiers, who were too surprised by her appearance to stop her. "Lue!" She threw herself over the pokemon as a general drove a knife down. Her eyes closed as the pain became unbearable. "Save yourself and live to repay your debt," she told the pokemon with her last breath._

Chira struggled to wake up in the morning. She slowly pushed herself up and moaned. Cami didn't even make her usual wry comment on Chira's inexperience at sleeping under the stars. Chira held her head as pain sliced through it. "Ooh," she moaned. "What a night."

"You didn't sleep well at all, did you?" Insight asked. "You kept waking up in the night, crying out."

"Did I," she winced. "Keep you up?"

"We both got enough sleep," Cami told her. "What I'm worried about is if you're fit to travel after last night."

"I'll be fine," Chira told them, standing up and trying to hide the discomfort she was in. "But I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. Let's leave now and stop for breakfast later."

They ended up riding until almost noon, when Insight made them stop for some food. "We can't keep this up without some sustenance," she said very matter-of-factly.

"Okay," Chira said. "We can stop."

They ate and continued on, the closer they got to Indigo Plateau, the more people they encountered. Chira grew nervous with the amount of people that stared at her as they rode past. Insight grew nervous from the amount of battles that were going on. Chira finally couldn't stand it anymore and urged Cami to go fast, training fast. They broke into a full out gallop, Cami doing a commendable job of dodging all the travelers.

When they stopped for supper, Cami overheard two people talking about the challengers who would be participating in the first rounds the next day. She sighed and put her food away, her appetite gone. Cami nudged her.

"You are going to need your strength when we get there," she said.

"I know," Chira sighed. "But I'm really getting nervous the closer we get to Indigo." She pulled out the letter and stared at it. _I have to read it sometime. Might as well be before I start asking everyone if they knew my birth parents._ She carefully opened the letter and began reading, pausing on words often as the handwriting was hard to make out.

Please take care of this child as your own. Her parents have been killed, and she is in need of a home. They are the ones in the picture. Her name is Chira, and she must not leave you until she has reached her sixteenth birthday. I ask you from the bottom of my heart to accept her and treat her well. I have watched you and know you are the right ones to accept this task. One day, you will understand why she must not remain with any of her relations. Thank-you, and good luck.

Chira blinked back tears. Her birth parents had been killed. No wonder her parents hadn't let her go on her pokemon journey before now. And this letter, who had written it? Who was this mystery person who had given her to the best parents a girl could have. And why wasn't she supposed to leave them until she turned sixteen? Chira wiped her hand across her eyes. Cami nudged Chira lovingly, and Insight crawled into her lap. Chira managed to smile through her tears.

"No matter what happens, I'll always have you guys, right?" They nodded and she hugged them. She folded up the letter and placed it back in her bag after reading it to them. "Come on, we still have a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."

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Okay, so the letter isn't all that great, but the reason for that will be revealed in a later chapter. (Combine that with the fact that I had no idea what to write for it and, well, you get the picture)


	16. The Picture's Affect

I'm sick today, so I thought I would update. Hope you enjoy!

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Chira stood in the shade of a tree, comparing the picture to the real thing. Subtract the trickle of people and add those in the picture, they'd be identical.

"There's no doubt about it," she said. "This is where the picture was taken."

Cami nudged her. "You gonna be okay?" she asked.

Chira nodded, then stopped. "Cami," she said. "Do I really want to do this?"

Cami humphed. "Well if you don't, I will. I didn't run my hide off so you could back out at the last minute. Besides, why wouldn't you?"

Chira sighed and put the picture away. "I don't know. I just have this feeling that if I go ahead and find someone who knows my birth parents, my life will never be the same."

Insight jumped up to eye level. "What's wrong with that?" she asked. "Just go for it and accept the consequences."

Chira smiled. "Thanks for the confidence vote," she said. "You probably shouldn't be out of your pokeballs when we go in. Why don't you Return now?"

Cami shook her head, and Insight remained silent. "I can see why I would have to be in my pokeball, but Insight is small enough she should be allowed to be out."

Insight protested. "No! If Cami can't be out, then I don't want to be."

Chira shook her head. "Cami has a very valid point, and I really don't want to go it alone. Would you mind?"

"Well, since you put it that way, of course not."

"Okay."

They headed in after Cami returned herself, joining the rapidly shrinking mass of people. Chira picked Insight up shortly after they entered, scared lest they become separated. The inside was a circular hall, curving away in both directions. There were tables and snack counters, and the numbers of trainers at both were incredible. TV screens showed the stadium, where the trainers were being introduced before the next day's elimination rounds. Down one hall, she could see the beginning of statues of the winners of the big competitions.

"Well, Toto, we're definitely not in Kansas anymore," Chira muttered. She stood for a moment, undecided as where to start. Finally, she headed over to a table and sat with her back to the wall to observe the trainers, who all appeared to know where they were going. She noticed Chris on the screen and smiled.

"Kind of busy, isn't it?" Insight remarked dryly. Chira smiled, not responding. There was a group of trainers at a nearby table, and Chira couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"I have badges from both Kanto and Johto, eight from each," a boy said, proudly displaying a badge case. The "ooh"s and "aah"s from the small crowd assembled were impressive. He began telling them about some of his close battles, where he had always emerged the victor by some brilliant plan. Chira snorted.

"He could at least give his pokemon some credit," she muttered.

The boy soon got up and headed her way. He started to pass by her, but doubled back. "Nice Eevee," he said sarcastically. Insight growled, and Chira fought the urge to punch him.

"At least I have a partnership with her that gives _her_ credit for _her_ victories," she responded icily. "Now if you'll excuse us," She got up and left, headed down the hall. She passed the statues, not even bothering to look at them, something she normally would have done without hesitation. "Why do trainers have to be like that?" she asked Insight. "Idiots who don't care about their pokemon."

Insight licked her chin. "Don't feel bad, Chira. You aren't like that, and that's what matters."

Chira smiled at her. "Thanks."

Chira kept walking, deep in thought, for some time. Eventually, she stopped when she realized that there was no one else around. They were in a vast room that seemed to be circular. Doors opened off of it every five meters. She looked around, completely lost. "Um, Insight?" she asked after a couple minutes.

Insight shrugged, just as lost as Chira. A door to their left opened and a man stepped out. He wore a suit, but Chira could see pokeballs on his belt. He had a shock of reddish-brown hair.

He stared at her for a moment, and Chira blushed. "I-I'm sorry," she stumbled. "We got lost. If you would be so kind as to point us in the right direction…"

He scratched his head. "Kind of hard to end up here, of all places." He scrutinized Chira, then relaxed. "Why don't I just show you the way back to the main hall? I'm headed there anyway."

Chira beamed. "That would be great! I'm sorry if I'm imposing, I don't know how I managed to lose my way. Oh, my name's Chira by the way."

"Lance." He led the way back through a door and into a hallway. "So are you here to compete?" he asked.

"No, Sir. I only have one badge. I got my license just about a week ago."

"Oh? Is that eevee your starter? I must say it looks remarkably happy with you."

"Thank-you," Chira said, embarrassed. "She's not, though. I have a ponyta."

"A ponyta?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Fire pokemon are hard to use as starters, aren't they?"

Chira smiled. "I've had her since I was twelve, so I haven't experienced any of that." With that statement, she remembered the last day at home and her mission. She frantically began digging in her bag, putting Insight on the floor. He paused, watching her. She finally pulled the picture out.

"I know this isn't a very big chance, so if you don't know, then don't feel bad, but… Do you know either one of these people?" Chira asked in a rush. She handed him the picture. She was shocked to see his face pale.

"I do." He said. "Well, I did. They're both dead now, along with the baby. How did you come across this picture?"

Chira blushed. "My parents found me on their front porch and ended up adopting me. This picture and a note came with me. I got them when my parents told me I was adopted." She left out the fact that had been only a week ago. "These people, they told me, were my real parents. I came here because, since the picture was taken here, I had hoped someone would know them."

He stared at her. "You have got to be joking." He shoved the picture back into her hands. "You conveniently end up getting lost and meet me, to tell me you're my cousin? I'm not buying it." He glared at her and left. She stared after him.

_Cousin,_ she thought. _I have a cousin? _

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Ooh, suspense. Yes, she is related to Lance. Now to just figure out how to make him believe her…


	17. Coincidences

Chira sighed. Finding her family wasn't supposed to be this hard. How was she supposed to persuade Lance that she was who she said she was? She frowned and followed him down the hall, emerging back into the main area. Trainers were all over, and it didn't take long for Chira to realize the arena had emptied. She simply stood, unsure as to what to do.

"Chira!" She turned as her name was called. She smiled at Chris.

"Hey," she said. She spotted Jordan right behind him.

"So you did come," Jordan said. He eyed her. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I guess."

Insight yipped. "No you aren't, now tell them the truth."

Chira shrugged. "I guess I'm just lost. I've never been to anything like this, so I have no idea how to go about things."

Jordan smiled. "That's easy. Just stick with us. Have you gotten a room yet?"

He led the way back to the front of the building. "No," Chira told them.

Insight growled at her, and she stuck her tongue out at her when her company wasn't looking.

Chris tugged on her arm. "Did you see me in the arena?" he asked excitedly.

She nodded. They approached the main desk right on the other side of the doors, and Chira bit her lip as she saw the person talking to the receptionist.

"Actually, I think I'm going to sleep outside," she said, halting them. "I really don't need a room. Besides, I doubt they'll let me have Cami out in a room." Lance left the desk and headed away from them. She breathed a mental sigh of relief. He probably wouldn't be too keen on seeing her again so soon.

Jordan stared at her. "You would rather sleep on the frigid, hard ground than in a soft, warm bed? Have you lost your mind?!"

Chira smiled sheepishly. "I'd rather be able to spend time with my pokemon than have a comfortable place to sleep."

Chris laughed. "You are really devoted to your pokemon, aren't you?"

Chira just smiled in response. "When does the first match start tomorrow?" she asked.

"8 O'clock." Jordan said. "But I still don't get-"

Chira cut him off. "Then I'll find you two then. Save a spot for me, Jordan!" She waved and ran outside, smiling the whole way.

She let out Cami. "C'mon, Cam, let's find a place to sleep, and I'll fill you in on what's happened since you returned."

Lance strolled the halls of Indigo Plateau. He couldn't forget that girl's sincere face as she told him she was his cousin. Of course, she acted like she didn't realize that was what she was saying. He shook his head. _Stupid fan girl. Just because I've captured dragonite and I'm well known… But how did she find out about Luke and his wife? I've never been that close to Luke. Maybe someone from their funeral told her. But then where did she get that picture? None of this makes sense. But I know she isn't who she says she is. Their daughter was on the ship with them when it went down. Everyone knew that. Of course, there is the fact that her body was never found…_

He pushed open a door off the main hall, entering a foyer crawling with people. None of them turned at his entrance, but then they were all well known trainers. A lot of them were also his friends. Drake turned at his approach.

"Hey, Lance. I was starting to think you had gotten lost." Drake was Lance's cousin and a well known pokemon trainer in his own right. He was the Orange Crew Supreme Gym Leader. He, too, was a dragonite trainer. Very few people, though, knew the two men were related. They had only found out themselves at the funeral of their mutual uncle, Luke, another Gym Leader from the Orange Islands. Since then, the two had become very close friends, and had worked hard to keep the outside world from knowing they were related.

"Hardly, I ran into a lost trainer." Lance said, struggling to keep his voice under control. Drake had fifteen years of practice in reading his cousin, though.

"What happened?" He asked nonchalantly.

"She tried to claim she was my cousin, albeit indirectly."

Drake raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"She even had a picture of Luke, his wife, and their daughter in front of the main entrance here. She said her parents found her on their porch with a note and the picture. My question is if she's telling the truth, which is highly unlikely, how did she survive the shipwreck? No one else did."

"Interesting," Drake said, thinking. The two men sat on one of the couches in the room. "Maybe you'll just have to ask her that. Why are you so certain that she isn't telling the truth?"

"You believe the story?" Lance was shocked.

"Weirder things have happened, you know." Drake shrugged.

"Well, here's something that will convince you she's lying. I found her down the hall to the suites. Don't tell me you don't think that's not fishy? It's impossible to end up lost down there unless you've been exploring or something."

"Maybe you were supposed to meet her."

Lance laughed. "Oh, sure. Like I'm going to believe that."

Drake smiled. "You're right. There is no way she can be who she says she is."

Lance paused. "There was something about her though… I think I want to talk to her again." Drake gave him a puzzled look. "After all, what's the harm in talking, right?"

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Heh, heh. I am loving this story more and more. Oh, and by the way. I took Drake out of the manga bit of pokemon. Hope you like where I'm headed with this!


	18. Secrets

Chira smiled at Chris. "Buck up," she said. "Think of it this way, you got experience fighting an experienced trainer."

"Jordan wouldn't have lost that soon, even with my level of experience," he muttered.

Jordan glanced at Chira before responding to him. "I could have easily lost if I had been in your shoes. Now stop sulking, no one can win them all. And if you're depressed, then your pokemon will be depressed as well. You do not want that to happen."

Chris shrugged.

Chira had found Jordan in the stands that morning easily enough, and they had watched the matches before Chris's. Unfortunately, Chris had lost his match fairly quickly, and he wasn't taking it very well. They were now sitting in the building's cafeteria at one of the round tables. The screen on the wall showed the elimination rounds still occurring, but none of them were paying much attention to it. The pokecenter's Nurse Joy currently had all of their pokemon, Jordan and Chira having decided to heal their pokemon while Chris' were being healed.

"You did an awesome job, Chris," Chira tried again, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't matter if you won or lost, the important thing is you did your best."

Chris shrugged her hand away. "That's easy for you to say, you weren't the one who lost in front of millions of people."

Chira smiled. "There weren't that many people in the audience. You're overreacting."

Chris glared at her. "It's televised."

"Oh." Chira sat back. Jordan took a turn at trying to comfort his brother, and Chira noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Next thing she knew, someone had laid a hand on her shoulder.

She swiveled around as someone asked, "Chira, isn't it?"

She looked up into the face of one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bun with a few strands perfectly framing her face. Baby Blue eyes were smiling at her over lightly freckled cheeks and nose. Her face was an oval that seemed to radiate confidence, and she wore a plain Indigo uniform that instead of dulling her features, seemed to enhance them.

Chira nodded mutely, confused.

"Would you mind coming with me? There is someone that wants to talk to you."

Chira debated for a second, glancing back to her friends for advice. Jordan just stared at the woman while Chris tried to wipe at overflowing eyes unobtrusively. Chira finally nodded. "Sure." She stood and addressed Jordan. "If Nurse Joy comes by, will you pick up Insight and Cami for me? I'll meet you guys later. I shouldn't be too long, but…"

Jordan nodded and Chira slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Ready?" the woman asked. At Chira's nod, she turned to Chris. "Weren't you one of the contestants?" He nodded. "I saw your match. You've got a lot of potential." With that, she led the way. Chira glanced back to see both boys staring after them. She sighed.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," she said once they had left the room.

The woman smiled. "I didn't have to do what?" she asked.

"Tell him he had a lot of potential. He would have gotten over his loss eventually."

"I know, but it helps them along when a total stranger compliments them on their battle. Trust me; I've worked here long enough to know."

She guided Chira along a maze of hallways and corridors. Chira soon grew confused. If she didn't know the building owned a circular shape, she wouldn't have had a clue what it looked like. They were going down halls that weren't frequently populated by the public, that much Chira knew. The walls were spotless, and the rugs on the floors were old and just beginning to show wear.

"Where are we going," Chira finally had the nerve to ask, growing nervous.

The woman smiled back at her. "Where you won't be interrupted."

"And just who am I meeting?"

The woman stopped by a door. "Who else? Lance." She pushed open the door as Chira stumbled to a halt, her heart skipping a beat, then coming back double time. The woman motioned her in, and unbidden, her legs took her into the brightly lit room.

French doors were open onto a balcony overlooking a garden, and the walls were covered with pictures and book shelves. An empty desk sat to one side, papers scattered across the surface. A small TV was on to one side, the matches in the stadium pictured. A couch stood in front of it, and Chira had the impression it wasn't used much. The woman entered behind Chira and stepped out onto the balcony. She heard muted talking and soon a man came in. It wasn't Lance.

His black hair fell into his eyes, which were the color of healthy moss. He smiled warmly at her, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. Chira could feel his friendliness and relaxed. Lance and the woman followed him in. Lance sat down at the desk and scrutinized her. The woman sat down on the couch as if watching the current match. Somehow, though, Chira knew she would be listening to their conversation. The man leaned against a wall, silently studying her. Chira could feel butterflies playing in her stomach, and she felt sick, though she didn't know why. She took a deep breath.

Lance began. "Chira," he paused, and at her nod continued. "I have decided to think on who you have claimed to be. Do you realize that, if you are indeed the daughter of those people and the baby in your picture, you would have survived a shipwreck that no one else did?"

Chira gasped, and she could feel the room spinning. Her parents had died in a shipwreck? Her mind flew back to the letter. But it had said her parents had been killed! Which was right? She shook her head to clear it.

"I had no idea how my parents died," she said haltingly.

Lance raised an eyebrow. "You didn't?" he asked skeptically.

She shook her head.

"Well, then," he cleared his throat. "If you are indeed their daughter, why weren't you given to one of your relations to care for?"

Chira could only shake her head again. "I really don't know."

"Well, what town did you grow up in?" The man in the corner cut in.

"M-Morningside," she stuttered, unnerved by his interruption. "It's a two day journey East from Viridian City," she supplied at their blank looks.

"Why were you raised so far away from the Orange Islands?" Lance asked.

"How did you get there?" the other man asked, incredulous.

Chira stared at them. "The Orange Islands? Is that where my parents were from?"

The man gazed at her in awe. "You don't know?"

The woman stood up impatiently. "You oafs, you haven't even offered her somewhere to sit down! How can you just let her stand there? This is no way to conduct an interrogation of any kind!" She guided Chira behind the desk, shooing Lance out of his chair. "You just sit there and do your best to answer these idiots' questions. I'm sure you understand their position. It's not like you find a long lost cousin that was supposedly dead everyday, especially when you are as well known as my husband and his friend."

"Husband?" Chira was getting more and more confused with every tidbit of information that she learned. Then the rest of the woman's statement hit home and realization dawned. "You think I'm just some girl who wants to have some connection to you, don't you?" she asked Lance accusingly.

He shrugged. "Well, can you blame me?" he asked defensively, crossing his arms.

The other man piped in. "None of the evidence supports what you claim, I hope you realize.

Chira looked down, blinking back tears.

Lance leaned across the desk. "I'll just ask this once, got it? Do you have any undeniable proof that you are who you say you are?"

Chira took a deep breath, her mind at a standstill on one question. _Do I tell him, or not?_ She finally made up her mind. Taking another deep breath, she looked him in the face. "I do."

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Ooh, hoo! This just keeps getting better and better. None of you reading this will have a clue what comes next. Okay, maybe a few of you will know what it is that she has to prove, but none of you will know why they believe her until you read the next chapter. Oh, maybe I should wait a while to update the next chapter. I know! I won't update the next chapter until I get some more reviews! So for the sake of us all, People, review!


	19. Surprise Surprise

Okay, I only got one review. Thanks to miragekoase for that one. Well, anyway, here it is. Had a bit of trouble uploading it, but finally got it.

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"Do you have any undeniable way to prove you are who you say you are?" Lance asked. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her answer.

Finally, taking a deep breath, Chira said, "I do."

They let out a collective breath, and Lance asked impatiently, "Well, what is it?"

Slowly Chira extracted the picture from her backpack and set it on the desk. She then proceeded to retrieve her contact case as well. She slowly took her contacts out, careful not to let them see her eyes until she was done. She then looked up at them, looking at them each in the eye. They couldn't help but stare. Chira grimaced. This was why she always wore her contacts.

Chira's eyes were pure white.

They didn't even have a visible pupil. They were also exactly like the woman's in the picture.

Chira had never had any problems with her vision; in fact she had perfect vision, something no eye doctor could ever explain. This was why she had had to get specially made contacts; most didn't give the person pupils.

"I've dyed my hair since I was five, otherwise that would be the same as well."

The woman's hair was a silver-blue.

Lance's wife was the first to speak. "Well, I guess that proves it," she said at last. "Lance, you have a cousin that you didn't know about before."

"We both do," the other man said. He reached across the desk and shook her hand. "Name's Drake."

The woman gave her husband's arm a squeeze. "And I'm Nichole."

Chira stared at them. Somehow she couldn't figure out how they had accepted her as their cousin so easily after being so difficult, even though she knew it was hard to contradict the obvious. She blinked, fighting tears. Some tears slipped down her cheeks, and she wished desperately that Cami or Insight were there with her. Cami especially would be able to help her sort things out.

"Are you okay?" Nichole squatted down beside her. The two men were staring at her, confused.

Chira nodded, biting her lip.

"Oh, come now," Nichole said. "Why are you crying?"

"I've never let anyone know about my hair and eyes outside of my parents, except for my best friend."

"And that's why you're crying? Because you have finally told a secret that you've kept for…" Lance paused, trying to calculate her age in his head.

"Eleven years," Chira said. "And that's not why." She paused. "I actually don't know why…"

"Well, then dry your tears," Nichole said, standing up. "You three have a lot to catch up on."

"You're leaving?" Drake asked.

"Nichole, stay. You're a part of this family just as much as Drake and I."

Nichole shook her head. "I have to get back to work. I've taken too much time off as it is. Besides, I should probably tell Chira's friends that she won't be back for some time."

She left, leaving the three cousins alone.

Drake scratched his head. "Well, she's right. Where do we start? Who should start?"

"When I was four," Chira began, but stopped. It hadn't occurred to her until now that her birth family might not have her talents. "How are you my cousins?" she asked instead. "How are we related?"

The two exchanged glances, then Lance answered. "Your father was our uncle, my mother's brother, and Drake's father's brother."

"Where does my father's family live?'

"Most live in the Orange Islands, that's where he was from." Drake said. "Lance is really the only one of our family that lives outside of the Islands."

"What are they like?"

"It will be hard to say in an unbiased way," Lance smiled. "You will just have to wait until you meet them to find that out."

"What about my mother's family? Did you know them?" Chira had to force herself to only ask one question at a time as she thought of more and more. She had to remind herself there was plenty of time to get all of her questions answered.

Chira was surprised to see them look uncomfortable. Drake was the one who finally answered.

"We weren't very close to your father, either one of us. But we can tell you this; no one knew her family. Your father told everyone that she was an orphan; that her parents were killed when she was a child, and she was raised by a kind soul. I'm sorry, but that's all we know of your mother, other than the obvious," Drake finished, gesturing to the picture.

Chira nodded. Finally, she started to tell them about her life. It took a while, but she finally worked up the courage to tell them she could understand pokemon word for word. They didn't believe her until she had a conversation with Drake's ditto. Fortunately, it was one of those times that Chira actually spoke in the pokemon's language. She forced herself at one point to speak so that her cousins could understand what she was saying.

The conversation covered many topics, ranging from favorite things to phobias, and many things caused at least one of the three to laugh. It didn't take long for them all to form a friendship with each other, or with those they didn't know before. Chira's smile soon became a treasure the other two strove to call forth, and Chira soon found out the trick to causing her new found cousins to blush.

Drake finally yawned, and looking at the clock, was surprised to see how long they had been talking. "It's nearly midnight!" he said, whistling. "It doesn't feel like we've been talking that long."

Chira yawned as well. "You're right." She sat bolt upright. "I haven't even thought about Cami or Insight! I hope they aren't mad at me."

"I doubt they will be, once you explain to them what you have been doing. They sound understanding." Lance stood up. "But it would probably be good if we all turned in. We can talk again tomorrow."

"Why don't we meet back here around nine tomorrow?" Drake asked. "Does that work?"

Lance nodded and Chira smiled. "That works for me, but you're going to have to show me how to get back to the main hall from here. I got all turned around when Nichole brought me earlier."

"Will do," Drake opened the door as they headed out.

"Aaah!" Two boys ran right into Drake, knocking him down, and an eevee jumped over them into Chira's arms.

"Insight!" she cried, hugging her tightly. She then turned to Chris and Jordan. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"You still weren't back at supper, and we were starting to get worried," Jordan supplied, standing up and dusting himself off.

"I think Jordan just wanted to see that lady again," Chris told Chira confidentially.

Jordan blushed furiously, and hit his cousin over the head. "I did not!"

Chira laughed. "That's okay, Chris. It doesn't matter anyway. She's married."

Jordan looked at her strangely, turned to her companions, and his mouth dropped open.

"I guided them here," Insight told Chira proudly.

"Really?"

Chris handed Chira her pokeballs as Drake asked, "So, are you going to introduce us?"

"Oh, yeah!" She motioned to each in turn. "These are some friends I met shortly after I got my license. They've helped me a lot already. That's Jordan, and his cousin Chris. Chris, Jordan, these are my…" she debated for a millisecond. "Friends, Lance and Drake."

"Hi," Jordan said weakly, looking at her incredulously.

"Hiya," Chris said, as always chipper.

Lance studied the two boys. "Have we met before?" he asked Jordan.

Jordan could only shake his head.

"Really? I could have sworn I've seen you before. Have you ever been to a competition here before?"

Again Jordan just shook his head.

"You probably saw him on the TV," Chris piped up. "He was the winner of the Johto League competition last year."

"Chris!" Jordan scolded, embarrassed.

"Really?" Chira said. "I didn't know that."

"I thought you looked familiar," Drake said. Jordan looked down, his dark brown hair covering his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Chira asked, curious. She wasn't mad, she had too many secrets to be mad at him.

"Why should I have?" Jordan said, scuffing his shoe on the floor. "I had no reason to. Plus, I haven't known you long enough for you to be in my confidence."

Chira winced, and Chris seemed to really notice her for the first time. He gasped.

"Chira! What happened to your eyes?!" he asked, staring at her.

"My eyes…" Chira stopped, her face paling. "My eyes!" She turned back into the room, Insight jumping to the ground. "I forgot to put my contacts back in!" She swiftly put them back in, then faced her friends again. "Sorry," she said, looking away from them. "I didn't tell you I have naturally unusual eyes… You understand why, don't you?"

Chris nodded, and Chira looked to Jordan pleadingly. He finally nodded. "We all have our secrets," he said.

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Oh, that one was fun. Bet you didn't see her pure white eyes coming, did you? Finally that's out in the open for the readers. What do you think of that twist?


	20. Meeting

The crowd cheered as the final match was won. Chira and her friends were silent, though; Chris because he was still sore from losing, Jordan was simply contemplating the two trainers, and Chira because the winner was the trainer from her first day here. She felt he didn't deserve to win the match with Lance. And the winner was going to fight Lance. He had informed them early this morning when they had met. Today Chris and Jordan had accompanied her, and they had relaxed fairly quickly once they had realized Drake and Lance were just regular people who were perhaps a touch better known than most.

The day before Chira had spent the day with them, her two friends watching the matches. She had met up with them when the three cousins had finished talking for the day due to prior engagements on some sides.

This morning they had only met for a couple hours because Lance had wanted to watch the last few matches to study his opponent's strategies. The public still didn't know the winning match was to be against Lance, and they wouldn't until he walked up to the trainer's stand at the time of the match. The match itself was to be that afternoon, after the challenger had time to heal his pokemon. Now everyone in the stands were exiting to get some lunch before the final match. Chira and her friends joined the throng.

"Did you see the way he ordered his Feraligatr to lure it into his trap. It didn't even hesitate to obey him!" Chris was exclaiming.

Chira bit her lip, silent. She didn't tell them what she had observed; that his pokemon only obeyed him so well because they were scared of him. That she could tell he beat them simply if they didn't carry out his orders just so.

They got out into the hall, and managed to separate from the river of people surging for the cafeteria. They stood off to one side, Chris commenting on the battle and Jordan answering his unstoppable questions.

"Well, what do you think of my pokemon now?" a voice asked from behind them after the flow of people had eased off.

Chira turned and frowned at him. "You really don't want me to answer that," she said.

"Oh, but I do," the trainer leaned toward her menacingly.

"Hey, you're that winning trainer!" Chris said excitedly.

He sneered at the boy. "Yeah, which is more than I can say for you."

Jordan coughed. "Chira, are you going to introduce us?"

Chira opened her mouth to tell them he wasn't her friend, but he beat her to it.

"I'm Greg," he said. He studied Jordan. "Haven't I seen you before?"

"I doubt it," Jordan answered, picking up on Greg's attitude and mimicking it.

Greg snapped his fingers. "I know! You won the Johto League last year! What are you doing with these jokes?"

Jordan bristled as Chira clenched her fists. "This is my cousin Chris," he finally said, forcing himself to be calm. "And you already know my friend Chira."

"Whatever." Greg rolled his eyes. "You may be a Johto champion, but I bet you've never battled someone famous."

"You haven't either," Chira said. "At least not yet."

"Well at least I'm going to."

"Not if you keep that attitude up." Chira jumped. She hadn't noticed Drake joining them.

"What's it for you to decide?" Greg shot back, turning to face him. "Unless, of course, you're the one I'm going to battle." He faced him challengingly.

"No, but the trainer you are going to fight just happens to be my friend, and you just happen to be harassing my cousin." Drake crossed his arms, waiting.

Chira inwardly winced, but was surprised at Greg's answer.

"So, pokemon training must run in the family, huh, Runt?" he ruffled Chris's hair. "A Johto League champion and a famous Gym Leader all in the same family. But why didn't you get those genes, I wonder."

Chira shook her head, bemused with these turn of events. Jordan caught on, and cut Chris and Drake off from correcting.

"Actually, I'd say Chris is doing exceptionally well. Can you blame a guy for a bit of stage fright affecting how he battles? Even a month sometimes isn't enough to get over an innate fear."

Greg, Chris, and Drake all stared at him.

"He's only had his license for a month, and he already has eight badges?" Greg was incredulous.

Chris was too stunned to say anything, but Drake could tell Jordan was up to something.

"Yep." Drake said proudly. He ruffled Chris's hair. "Chris here promises to be one of the best yet."

"Wha-" Chris tried to say something but Chira wouldn't permit it.

"Their whole family is sitting on pins and needles, waiting to see how soon Chris wins a major competition." She moved beside Chris, nudging his foot in the process. He figured out they were trying to do something, but he didn't know what, so he just remained silent. "I myself am anxious to see how everything turns out for them."

"Whatever," Greg said, bored. "Just so long as they don't expect anything too major; not from that pathetic los-" He broke off when he saw Drake's face set in a thundercloud. "Well, I better get going. Got to prepare for my big battle, you know?" He scurried off, not looking behind him.

Chira burst out laughing as soon as he was out of earshot. "That was beautiful!" she said, wiping tears out of her eyes.

"Uh, what just happened there?" Chris asked, thoroughly confused.

"I am so glad you did that for me," Chira told Jordan, smiling. "Thank-you."

Chris looked from one to the other.

"Well, if you didn't want them to know…" Jordan scratched his head.

Chris looked to Drake. "Do you know what they're talking about?" he asked.

Drake was laughing silently. "Why don't you want people to know?"

Chira shook her head. "I don't want to ride anyone's tailfins. I want to do my best and not have people constantly comparing me with my family."

"But you're willing to put that on Chris?"

Chira bit her lip. "I didn't think about that. We'll have to figure out something to fix that."

"Fix what?!" Chris cried out, agitated. "What is going on?!"

Drake pulled Chira off to the side as Jordan began explaining what had just happened to Chris.

"Do you really not want anyone to know you're our cousin?" he asked, concerned.

Chira nodded. "I don't want to be treated as your cousin, I want to be treated like me."

"When did you decide this?"

Chira looked down sheepishly. "When I was confronted with the possibility of it happening, to tell you the truth."

Drake crossed his arms. "That was fast decision makiing," he said, raising his eyebrows.

Chira grimaced.

Drake put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "But I respect your decision. That is very smart of you, and I'm proud you've decided to do that."

Chira smiled at him. "Really?" She threw her arms around him, hugging him. "That makes me feel better."

Drake, surprised, could only pat her on the head.

"But how are we ever going to counteract my mistake?" Chira fidgeted as Jordan and Chris joined them again.

"We'll think of something," Drake told her. "Just wait."


	21. The match begins

Sorry about not updating for so long, I sort of got distracted. That happens occasionally; I get ideas for other stories and I just have to start them, or I continue other stories I haven't finished. Again, sorry. I won't be able to update over the next two weeks as well, and maybe not the week after that. I'm going to South America. I might post another chapter before I leave, but that's iffy. Anyway, thanks for reading and enjoy!

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The match was about to start, and the crowd was going wild. Chira shivered, hugging herself. She couldn't shake the feeling something was going to happen. Something big.

"Is this seat taken?" someone asked.

Chira quickly gave herself a mental shake and turned from the field to the person next to her.

"No," she stopped when she saw who it was sitting down next to her. "You!"

"Nice to see you remember me," Trey said, smiling at her. "Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to offend you, I just…" he stopped. "I don't know why I challenged you in the first place, to tell the truth. It might have been because I hadn't had a good battle in a couple weeks, and I was just looking for a challenge."

Chira bit her lip. "I suppose I forgive you," she said, looking back to the field.

Insight, who had been with Drake and Lance, came bounding over. "Guess what!" she cried, leaping onto Chira's lap. "I got a piece of cake," she said smugly. "Nichole made it herself."

Chira smiled at her. She didn't say anything though, just ruffled her fur.

"Is that your eevee?" Trey asked, slightly surprised.

"Yup, got her last week."

"Really? Where?"

Chira looked into Insight's liquid black eyes. "I saved her from an incompetent trainer."

"Oh." Trey looked away. "Well."

"It's okay," Chira smiled at him. Changing the subject, she asked, "So, did you come here to watch a specific trainer in the matches, or…"

He shrugged. "I just came."

"Chira," Chris leaned over to her. "Do you know when… Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were talking."

"It's okay," Chira scratched Insight behind the ears. "Chris, this is Trey. Trey, this is Chris, and that's his cousin Jordan."

"Hi," Trey greeted them.

Chris returned his greeting, Jordan just nodded.

"So, how did you-" Chira didn't hear the rest of Trey's question, Insight was talking to her.

"Oh, yeah! Nichole wants you three to sit with her in The Box! She told me to tell you. That's why she gave me the cake."

Chira stared at her. _The Box!_ She couldn't believe it. She looked across the arena at the viewing box. It had the best view, and was one of the most coveted spots in the whole stadium. If someone wanted to give away tickets as prizes, box seat tickets were their best bet.

"I-I don't understand," she murmured at last.

"Nichole said Lance has the whole Box for his guests, that was one of the deals for him battling the winning trainer."

"But-"

Jordan waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello? Anyone home?"

"Wha? Oh, yeah. Sorry." Chira paused, not sure how to do this. No one with her knew she could understand Insight. Then she got an idea. Taking a leaf out of Insight's book, she said, "Oh! I forgot. Nichole invited us to sit in the Box with her. Said Lance had the whole thing for his friends." She paused at the incredulous looks she was getting. "What?"

"The Box?" Trey said at the same time Jordan asked, "Are you joking?"

Chira laughed. "Yeah, that was my reaction as well." She stood up. "It was nice seeing you again, Trey. I wish you could come, but my friend could probably only save three extra seats. We'll see you around!" With a wave, they were off, Insight leading the way.

_There probably will be an extra seat or two,_ she thought, feeling guilty. _But then I would have to explain the connection to him as well, and I really don't want the whole world knowing I'm related to some famous trainers._

She shook herself out of her reverie, grateful that neither Chris nor Jordan were in the mood to say anything to her. They reached the door to the coveted seats in due time, but were halted by a security man.

"Wait here," he told them. He disappeared inside, reappearing moments later with Nichole.

"Oh, good, you got my message," she said, smiling brightly at them. "Come on in, Lance hasn't left yet."

She enveloped Chira in a hug and proceeded to drag them inside. Chira was surprised at the number of people inside, but shook it off. She shouldn't have been so surprised. After all, Lance was a famous pokemon trainer.

"Oh, Chira, you're here." Drake met them just inside the door. "I want to introduce you to someone." He pulled her over to a group gathered by the huge picture window.

"Ash, this is my friend Chira." A black haired young man turned at their approach. He looked to be in his twenties, and the woman by his side looked maybe two years older than him, with shouler-length red hair that was brushed back out of her face.

Chira froze.

"Chira, this is Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower."

"H-H-How d-do you do, S-Sir, Ma'am," Chira faltered, her face flaming red. She looked at the ground, her mind whirling. _How could Drake spring this on me so suddenly? I didn't have a clue I'd be meeting Ash Ketchum today! Oh, man, I look horrible._

Chira was all of a sudden very conscious of how she looked. Though she had used the showers there, she hadn't had a chance to wash her clothes. She was wearing the only clean clothes she had, a faded pair of knee-length blue jean shorts and a light green t-shirt that had a Bellosom print. She rubbed her scuffed running shoes over the floor, but stopped immediately; scared that would draw attention to them.

"It's nice to meet you, Chira. I have heard promising things from Drake and Lance concerning you," Ash was saying.

Misty nodded. "I understand you have a very unique gift. You must be very proud."

Chira froze, unwilling to believe either one of her cousins would have been so callous as to tell someone she could understand pokemon word for word, even someone famous.

She looked at Drake, her question plainly writ in her eyes. He shook his head ever so slightly. She relaxed. Turning back to the other two, she said, "I would be a fool to be proud of something I have no control over."

Ash looked at Drake. "I like her already."

The loudspeaker crackled to life. Chira turned in time to see Lance running out the door, Nichole running after him yelling something.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer was calling. "Would everyone please take their seats? The match is about to start."

Everyone quickly settled into their seats, Chira and her friends sitting with Drake in the first line of seats. The arena was right below them.

"Will the challenger please step up to the trainer's block?"

Greg appeared and stepped up, his face set in a smug half-grin.

"I'd like to wipe that look off of his face," Chira muttered below her breath.

Drake placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Silver Girl," he said. "Lance won't let him win."

Chira ignored the nickname, knowing no one would understand it except those that already knew. "And what if he loses?" she asked crossly.

"He won't, trust me."

"Chira, if Drake says Lance won't lose, then Lance won't lose. It's as simple as that."

"You, Chris, are too trusting."

Chira turned back to the arena. The announcers were letting the audience stew for a couple minutes before Lance came out. Greg was betraying little nervousness. Chira absently stroked Insight's head, her eyes drawn to where they had vacated just fifteen minutes before. Trey was still there.

She narrowed her eyes. He had let his growlithe out to watch. But there was something else about him. His posture gave hint that he was distraught. He seemed to be agitated about something.

"And now," the loudspeaker cut into Chira's thoughts. "The moment you've all been waiting for, the challenger's opponent is none other than…" There was a moment of intense attention in the audience. Not a sound was heard. "Lance the Dragonite Trainer!"

Lance appeared and the crowd went wild. Greg eyed Lance as he took his place and set his pokeballs in the provided spots. After a moment, Greg smiled.

"He thinks he's going to win, the overconfident little bugger," Drake remarked, smiling evilly. "Boy is he in for a wild ride."

"This will be a six-on-six battle. It will be just like a gym battle where the gym leader cannot switch out his pokemon, but the challenger may change his pokemon however many times he wishes. The first trainer to defeat all of the other trainer's pokemon will be declared the winner. Are there any questions from the two trainers?" Both trainers shook their heads. "Very well, begin!"

Lance and Greg both threw out their first pokemon.

"Charizard, go!" Lance called out a charizard.

"Feraligatr!" The blue crocodile pokemon appeared from Greg's pokeball.

Drake nodded. "Lance was right. This guy starts with his strongest pokemon, wears the enemy down, then switches to a weaker one. I don't see how that can work."

"I don't think that's his strongest pokemon," Chira muttered to herself. Drake didn't hear her.

"Hydro pump!" Greg called.

"Charizard, dodge it!" Charizard leapt up into the sky, flying in intricate maneuvers that never repeated. After several tries, Feraligatr stopped to take a breather.

"Now!" Lance called. Charizard immediately charged up a hyper beam and let it loose. The feraligatr jumped to the side, but dropped to the ground in pain. Charizard swooped down to finish it with a Slash attack at the same time Lance yelled, "No!"

Chira sat forward on the edge of her chair at the same time Drake said, "What is he doing?"

Chira noticed Greg's smile of delight and her heart plummeted to the depths of her stomach.

Charizard flapped its wings hysterically, trying to rise back up quickly. It was too slow and Feraligatr lunged at it, its claws ripping through Charizard's left wing. Chira put her hand to her mouth in horror as Charizard careened hard to the ground. Lance was in agony. With a mighty roar, Charizard let loose with a mighty Fire Blast. Feraligatr took the attack full force, fainting immediately.

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Any known last names of some other prominent characters would be nice as well. Otherwise I'm going to have to start making up some. Thanks!


	22. The Match Ends and Plans Are Made

Hey everyone! I'm back from Ecuador! It was a blast! Very warm, very humid, very fun, and very good to get home again. You have no idea how happy I was to be back on US soil. It's when you've been away from the country for a while that you really come to appreciate it. Anyway, enough chatter. Happy reading!

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Chira stretched lazily in her sleeping bag, unable to sleep. She turned over, gazing at Insight and Cami who were sleeping contentedly on the ground next to her. Scenes from the battle earlier that day rampaged through her mind.

It had gone relatively the same the whole battle as the first bit, and by the time Lance got to his last pokemon, Dragonite, Greg was down to his last pokemon as well.

_Lance threw his pokeball out, and as soon as Dragonite appeared, the crowd went spastic. Greg just smiled and threw out his pokemon. His pokemon had all been about the same level as Feraligatr, maybe a couple levels under, so far. Chira bit her lip as he released a kingdra. Chira knew immediately that this was his trump card; this was his strongest pokemon._

_"Kingdra, let's end this. Dragon Rage!" The dragon seahorse took a breath and released a stream of what looked like green fire. Dragonite easily dodged it and countered with its own Dragon Rage. Kingdra managed to dodge, but barely. _

_"Kingdra's a water pokemon, right?" Chris asked. "How is it able to just float there?"_

_"Most can't," Drake responded. "I don't understand this either. Kingdra shouldn't be able to fight outside of a water arena. This doesn't make sense."_

_Everyone was silent. No one could understand it. Chira could only stare. There was something about it…_

_"Dragonite, take it out!" Lance called. Dragonite swept forward, heading straight for it with a Slash attack._

_Chira went cold when she saw Greg's smile. "No…"_

_Kingdra waited until Dragonite got close then used Ice Beam. The blast hit Dragonite square on, throwing it off balance. It careened into the ground, managing to get back up with little difficulty. It roared in frustration as it took flight again, circling cautiously. Lance had been looking for an opening the whole battle, some little weakness in Greg's strategy, which was mostly just dish it out as fast and ferociously as possible._

Chira shifted positions again and gazed to the forest they were camped by. In the distance she could see the old arena, evidently an ancient training spot due to the track, decayed weights, and other non recognizable objects. It proved to be quite good for pokemon training. Cami and Insight even liked it a bit.

_Dragonite dove for Kingdra with all the speed it could muster. Chira knew before it had even started its descent it didn't stand a chance. Kingdra's level was one of the highest she had ever seen. At the last possible moment, right as Kingdra unleashed another Ice Beam, Dragonite veered to the side, looped back, and managed to get in an Iron Wing before retreating. Greg was mad. _

_"Why did you let it hit you?!" he shouted at Kingdra. "You could have prevented that easily!"_

_"He isn't very happy," Drake commented._

_"I don't get it. It's not like it could have dodged that attack. What is he thinking?" Nichole was struggling, trying to understand this guy._

_Chira could only bite her lip in anxiety._

_Lance seemed to think of something. "Dragonite, use Fly coupled with Dragon Claw!"_

_Dragonite shot straight up in the air, its wings strongly displacing the air around it. It reached its peak, hovered for a second, and dove for Kingdra, its claws glowing white. Kingdra countered with Ice Beam again, but the attack was met with a Dragon Rage, shocking everyone, especially Greg. Chira smiled, and she could see a similar smile on Lance's face. _

That's the way to do it_, she thought. _Surprise him.

_Greg was mad. "Kingdra, Twister!" A blast of air whipped at Dragonite, almost succeeding in throwing it off balance. Before it had a chance to completely regain its balance, the temperature plummeted. Kingdra opened its mouth, letting loose what appeared to be a violent snow storm._

_"That's a Blizzard attack!" Chris said. "It's strong against dragon pokemon."_

_"Don't worry," Drake told him. "Lance has a plan to deal with this kind of thing."_

_"C'mon, Lance," Chira murmured. "Do something."_

_He seemed to just be standing there, gazing up at Dragonite who was fiercely fighting the ice and wind. Chira stared at him for several moments before noticing the small smile forming. _

_"What are you up to?" Chira whispered softly._

_Greg was confidant he had won. "Kingdra, finish it! Super Blizzard!"_

_"Super?" Chris was confused. _

_"He probably just means put your all into it," Jordan told his cousin. "Pokemon don't usually go all out on their attacks to begin with."_

_Kingdra released a stronger form of Blizzard and it shot straight for Dragonite._

_"Dragonite, now!" Lance yelled, his hand clenched in a fist._

_Dragonite dove under the main blast of the attack, easily charging through the rest of it. It dove straight at Kingdra, a powerful blast of electricity shooting from its mouth. Chira smiled as the kingdra shrieked and fainted. Lance had won the battle, but Greg had still put up a really good fight._

_He's probably going to end up punishing his pokemon for losing,_ Chira thought now. It just wasn't fair to the pokemon to give trainers like that their license. When Chira had begun her journey, she had promised never to treat her pokemon friends like that. She hoped she could keep that promise.

They would head to Vermilion City in the morning, Chira, Chris, and Jordan. They were going to get a ride from there to the Orange Islands. She would meet her family there. Drake and Lance were traveling separately. They didn't want any form of connection made between the three. Chira bit her lip. She could only hope her birth family would like her.


	23. Vermilion Excitement

I just want to give a shout out to the anonymous reviewer who let me know that Misty's last name is Waterflower. I really appreciate it. I've replaced edited that name into the chapter. Also, I want to encourage anyone who knows any other prominent character's names to let me know. Thanks!

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"Are you sure you don't want to get the rest of the Kanto Badges before you go to the Orange Islands?" Jordan asked over the mill of people and the foghorns of the ships in Vermilion City's bay. "I mean, it's not like you'll be able to just pick up where you left off when you come back."

"This is family we're talking about, Jordan, not just more Badges. Besides, I'm really curious to meet them."  
"Yeah, but this family you haven't met before. What did your parents say when you told them?"

"They want to come out and meet them. Of course, they won't come right away, they're willing to give me time to meet them before they come disrupting the whole place." Chira picked up a souvenir shirt, studying it. "What do you think?"

"I think people act differently when it comes to family," Jordan crossed his arms, eyeing the busy side street and its occupants.

"Oh, har de har. You're not funny. I'm serious."

"It's not your color."

They had reached Vermilion in good time, taking the diglet cave, something Lance had told them about, cutting their travel time in half. They had a day to wait before their ship left; in fact, it was supposed to arrive in Vermilion that day. They were gradually making their way down to the docks, planning to try and guess which ship it would be. The town had proved to be more populated, and intriguing, than any of them had expected.

When Chris and Jordan had come through several weeks earlier for the badge, it hadn't been near as busy, and they had never found the souvenir stalls.

Now Chris was at the next stall over, looking at items for Trainers. Chira sighed and placed the shirt back, catching up with Jordan who had started leaving without her.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" she commented, stretching as they passed an unshaded area in the alleyway. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, which was a clear blue. The temperature was in the late 60's, and no one was wearing long sleeves.

Jordan simply nodded, staring ahead. He seemed to be brooding.

"What's up?" Chira asked breezily, concern for her friend weighing utmost in her mind.

"Nothing," he grumbled. Chira chose to leave it at that. She put her hands behind her head and studied the bright colors rampaging everywhere one looked. There were banners of all sorts, and Chira could tell she already loved this city. It was a typical seaside port as far as she knew, and she knew she would love to live in a port city. She smiled as she realized that was what she would be doing if she moved to the Orange Islands. She paused as she became aware of the turn her train of thoughts had taken. She was already replacing the family that had raised her with a family she had never even met before. She bit her lip, feeling guilty.

"Hey, check out this great deal I got!" Chris came running up behind them, waving a bag triumphantly over his head. "Ten potions for ten dollars each!"

"That's good," Chira told him. "Why didn't you pick me up any?"

They were interrupted by a roar of sound coming from the docks. People around them became concerned, several rushing toward the disturbance. Even some of the shop vendors closed up and quickly made their way down to the wharf. Chira and her friends exchanged glances before hurrying down there themselves.

They got to the commotion right as a ship limped into the harbor. Its sides were badly torn and scratched and its smokestack barely emitted any smoke. In fact, most of the smoke came from various parts of the ship. It looked about ready to keel over, and there were no faces on the docks, a rarity for passenger ships coming into port.

It was at that moment the tourists were separated from the natives. The tourists just stared as everyone else jumped to work, readying lines and getting a spot ready for the ship. Chira quickly joined a group preparing a line to pull it in, Jordan and Chris right behind her. A sailor threw the line to the ship and, amazingly, a face appeared just in time to catch and attach it. With the combined efforts of everyone on the docks, they managed to get the ship safely into its dock. A ramp appeared, and passengers and crew both slowly started filing off.

The captain was last off. People rushed up to him, asking what happened. Of course, the rest of those on the ship were being asked as well, but not quite as ferociously as the man in the captain's hat. Chira and her friends tried to stay by to hear the explanation, but the crowd soon made that impossible. Chira soon got separated from the other two, the crowd forcing her the opposite way from her friends.

She managed to get out intact, but, she felt, just barely. She was breathing hard, and scared about how she was going to find the others in the crowd. She debated for a minute, finally deciding to just head back to the pokecenter and meet them there. She had taken three steps when she realized she didn't remember how to get there.

"Just great," she muttered. She spotted a fisherman mending his nets and headed over. "Excuse me," she said. "I was just wondering if you would be so kind as to point me toward the pokecenter?"

The old man gave her a missing tooth grin. "Just head up that hill, sticking by the water, until you come to a wharf-side bakery. Turn right, on the next street and go straight. You can't miss it. It has this huge-"

"Thanks," Chira interrupted quickly. "I think I know what it looks like."

She heard him muttering about "impolite youth these days" as she turned, following his directions carefully. The cobblestone street was uneven, and Chira felt sorry for anyone driving on it. She walked quickly, regulating her breathing as a training exercise. By the time she got to the end of the street, she knew she had missed her turnoff.

The end of Vermilion wharf was heralded by a hill with a lighthouse on top, ready to shine safety at a moment's notice.

Chira looked out at the ocean, glittering softly in the afternoon sun. She sighed. It truly was beautiful. She was turning to retrace her steps when she saw it. She paused, squinting her eyes, trying to determine what it was. There it was again! A movement, a splash in the waves. A pokemon? Could it be?

Chira quickly looked around for someone to share her suspicions with. Not that it was a rare occurrence, but it was still almost magical, none the less. She saw no one. She moved to the edge of the dock, trying to determine what kind it was. She was so intent on that one point of interest; she didn't realize she was leaning out too far. She lost her balance and, for a moment, hung there, arms flailing. It did nothing.

She fell in with a splash, the water immediately covering her head. She felt herself sinking. She vaguely wondered how deep it was, before coming to her senses and kicking her legs, aiming for the surface. Her head broke through to air, and she took a deep, grateful breath. She treaded water for a minute, trying to determine how to get back up onto dry land without wearing herself out by swimming up and down the wharf. She completely forgot about the pokemon which was the reason for her treading water for a moment.

Chira shouted for a time, trying to get someone's attention. After several moments of no success, she gave up. She redoubled her examination of her surroundings, hoping against hope there was a ladder not far away for if a sailor fell in. Nothing.

The water was starting to sap her energy. Though the day was warm, the water was still cold from the recent cold spell around here. Chira began shivering.

She started swimming around the hill, scared of going the other way lest a ship not see her and run her over. She tried to keep warm by going at a brisk pace, but it wasn't working. She could feel herself growing weaker and weaker.

"N-not good," she said, her chattering teeth making it hard for even herself to understand her words. Thoughts of hypothermia flashed through her mind.

Chira swam for some time, not encountering anything. She knew she was just about at the max time for being in this cold of water. She decided she should at least try to make it back to where she had fallen in. Maybe someone had found her dropped pack by now and was looking for her. She knew it was a long shot, but right now she was desperate for any thing she could lay hope on.

Chira's hand hit a rock, and she grabbed onto it, desperate for anything to conserve energy at the moment. She thought to hold on until she had more energy to make it, but it wasn't long before she realized this rock was moving. With a cry, she pushed herself away from it, but didn't get very far. It moved, and the head broke the surface.

Chira stared up into the face of a monstrous, blue, fish-snake pokemon. She immediately recognized it from pictures. Gyarados. She whimpered, ducking lower into the water. It reached down, grabbing her shirt in its mouth. She screamed.

"Don't eat me!" she babbled, terrified. "Please, I'm just skin and bones; I don't taste good at all. Honest, I don't!"

Gyarados twisted around and placed her on its back. It then proceeded to take her back to the wharf. "Hush, Child, I won't hurt you. I just want a favor in return for rescuing you."

She stared up at it. "What kind of favor?" she asked carefully. In her opinion, you don't refuse a great bit water snake anything. You just don't."

"A ship ran into me, I am hurt and I need help. Humans are the best for helping hurt pokemon. I need you to take me to a… Pokecenter? I think that's what it's called."

Chira nodded mutely. "Sure thing. Not a problem, anything you ask for. Sure thing." She realized she was repeating herself and clamped her mouth shut. To her surprise, Gyarados chuckled.

"I'm glad you fell in," it said. "Not many humans can understand me when I ask them for something."

"Most are probably too scared of you," Chira couldn't help putting in. A gust of wind chilled her, and she shivered more violently. Gyarados picked up the pace.

They finally reached where Chira had fallen in. Gyarados carefully picked her up by the shirt again and set her gently on the dock. She quickly rummaged through her still present pack and pulled out an extra pokeball.

"Alright, I need to put you in here to transport you-" Before she had even finished speaking, Gyarados had pressed his nose (if you can call it that) against the button and entered the pokeball. Chira stared at it a moment before gathering her stuff together and trotting back to the pokecenter, still shivering and weak, but pressing on for both of their sakes.

"Chira, where have you been?!" Jordan confronted her as soon as she stepped inside the pokecenter. She looked up at him, eyes glazed. Her cheeks were badly flushed, and in her hand she clutched a pokeball like a lifeline. All this Jordan noticed in a matter of seconds. "Chira, what's wrong?! Are you alright?"

Chira collapsed against him, her legs unable to carry her any farther. She pushed the pokeball into Jordan's free hand while the other was engaged in trying to keep her off the floor.

"Chris! Call a doctor! And be snappy about it! Don't worry Chira, you'll be alright." He began guiding her over to a couch. "Chris, you can see to her after you call a doctor," he snapped. He tried to lay her on the couch, but she refused, pushing the pokeball harder into his hand with the last of her strength. He finally seemed to take the hint.

He pushed her down, taking the pokeball. "Don't move," he told her. "I'll take care of this." He raised the pokeball as he said it. He left her at a run, making a beeline for Nurse Joy, who by now had come out of the back room to see what the commotion was about. He shoved it at her and shot straight back to the girl now lying motionless on the couch. Chris was hovering over her.

"An ambulance is on the way," the boy told his cousin. "What should we do about…?" motioning to Chira, he left the sentence hanging.

"Keep her comfortable until the ambulance arrives." Jordan crouched down beside her. "Nurse Joy's taking care of it," he told her, unsure exactly what the it was.

Chira barely opened her eyes, fighting to focus on him. "Thanks," she whispered. He had to strain to hear what she said. She raised a hand, but it only got about a half inch off the couch cushion before it dropped limply down again.

"Chris, how soon will they be here?" Jordan asked, starting to panic.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Didn't you call them?"

"Yeah, but I was too preoccupied to listen to what they said."

"They're here!" Someone cried from the front window. Jordan looked back in time to see Chira's eyelids flicker, then settle in what seemed too much like a permanently closed position.

"You're going to be okay, you here me?" Jordan told her, blinking back tears. He had no idea what happened, but he knew it was probably something big. "You're going to be okay."


	24. Morrie

Okay, that last chapter was a bit sentimental toward the end. This one's better.

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"You okay?" Jordan asked. He set a bouquet of flowers on Chira's hospital bed. "Are they treating you okay here?"

Chira nodded. "Yeah. They've been nothing but the most gracious."

"What exactly happened?" Chris asked, carefully sitting down on the foot of her bed.

"Exposure, hypothermia," Chira spit out. "That's what made me so sick."

"Exposure?" Jordan asked. She had been brought in three days ago, and they hadn't been told anything by anyone. This was the first time she was allowed visitors at all.

"I fell into the ocean and couldn't get out before my body temperature was lowered a considerable amount.

"You're looking remarkably healthy now, especially compared to when you showed up at the pokecenter.

"Thanks. They say I should be able to discharge by tomorrow morning." Chira smiled. "By the way, how is Gyarados?"

"It's fine," Jordan said, reaching into his pack. "In fact, I have it right here." He pulled out a pokeball and handed it to her.

"Thanks." She took it and set it on the bedside table. She plucked at the bed sheets. "Listen, I'm sorry about causing us to miss the boat. Did they refund our ticket money?"

Jordan looked at her calculatingly. "They didn't tell you, huh?"

"What?" Chira smiled after a second. "Probably not, whatever it is."

"That boat that came in right before we were split up? That was the ferry we were supposed to take. It was attacked by wild pokemon. The captain swears they didn't provoke them. The harbor master isn't letting any ship sail until this is cleared up. The ferry will probably take several weeks to be repaired."

"Oh," Chira stared at the white sheets. "They did refund the ticket money, though, right?"

Jordan smiled. "Yes, they did."

Chris flopped back on the bed. "But who knows how long it will take to clear this mess up. We could be stuck in Kanto for weeks, if not months!"

Chira smiled at Jordan. "I guess this means I will be getting some more badges before going to the Orange Islands."

Jordan nodded. "Good, use your time wisely. If you write down what you need, I'll get it so we can leave right away after you're discharged."

Chris protested. "But Chira can't be strong enough by then. There's no way!"

Jordan shrugged. "That's why she'll be riding Cami while we travel."

Chira grinned. "Then I hope you're prepared to run between towns. Cami won't hold back, even for you."

"Well, then it's probably a good thing we'll have your battle with Lt. Surge to warm up during."

"Huh?" Chira cocked her head.

"Oh, come on. We're in Vermilion City right now. They do have a Gym you know. We might as well get the badge while we're here."

"Oh, right. Good idea." _But first things first, I need to release Gyarados back into the wild._

"I'll meet you guys at the gym; I have something I need to take care of."

Chira stood in the drizzling mist, a jacket pulled tight around her, compliments of the hospital staff. Jordan and Chris had come to pick her up at the hospital, ready to head straight for the gym.

"Are you crazy? You just got out of the hospital! You're not going anywhere without an escort." It seemed Jordan had appointed himself as her guardian, all knowing about what to do or not to do right after being discharged. It was starting to irritate Chira. By the way Chris looked, this was a frequent occurrence.

"Fine, I won't go without an escort." She dug in her pack for a moment, ignoring his smug smile. She pulled out a pokeball and promptly released Insight. "And now I have one." With that trainer and pokemon took off down the street, leaving two very confused friends behind.

Chira's breath was forming a white vapor as the two kept up a very efficient pace through the streets, heading for the docks. Her pack bounced lightly against her back, and her hand curled around the pokeball in her pocket. There weren't many people out this morning, but Chira contributed that to the time and the drizzle. Her hair was forming wet wisps of hair around her face by the time they reached the ocean. A drop of water dripped off her nose, and she had to blink rapidly to keep water out of her eyes. Insight, she noticed wryly, smelled like wet dog.

Chira reached the spot where she had fallen in four days ago, making sure to stand a ways back from the water. She absently looked up the docks, searching for the wrecked ship. She didn't find it and assumed it was in the ship yard, being worked on. Her mind wandered to the cause and she wondered vaguely how long it would be before the ships could sail again.

Insight yipped, bringing her back to the present. Chira carefully pulled the pokeball out of her pocket, wondering how to do this. Shrugging, she threw it into the water, releasing its occupant.

Gyarados looked Chira up and down. "Thank-you," it said. "I most appreciate the service you have done me. Not many would release me again after healing me."

"It was nothing," Chira told him, cocking her head to the side. "Now you watch out for ships, you hear? I don't want to be told you ran into another one, or vice versa. Watch out for wild pokemon as well, okay?" Her eyes reflected her genuine concern, shocking Gyarados. "Some recently attacked a ship in this area."

"I understand," it said, bobbing its head. It paused, then said, "I don't know about some attacking a ship, but a ship did get in the way when a group of Seadra were attacking me. It got pretty banged up."

"Oh, that might have been the same one!" Chira put her hand to her mouth.

"I think it was. I defeated the Seadra, then helped it into this port."

"Oh, wow."

Gyarados paused, examining her. Finally, it sighed and bent down until it was on an even eye level. "I might as well ask. If I accompany you, will you view me as a means to an end? Or will you treat me like you would treat another human?"

Chira stared at it, confused. Insight was who finally responded. "She'll treat you better than another human," she barked. "Chira understands pokemon. She views them as individuals. Trust me, I know. So are you going to come with us? That would be great!"

Gyarados bobbed his head. "If you are willing to have me along. I would do my part; carry my share of the load."

"Of course you can come! The more the merrier!" Insight told him. Then in a whisper, "Don't mind Chira, she just has a habit of zoning out every so often." She smiled at Gyarados. "Now you wouldn't happen to have a name, would you?"

Gyarados stared at her for a moment, unbelieving that a creature so little could speak to him so freely. "Morrie, I guess."

"Great! Welcome to the family, Morrie!"

Chira finally got over her shock. "Thank-you. What do you ask in return though?"

"That you help me become as strong as I possibly can and that you treat me well."

Chira smiled at him. "Neither of those things will be a problem. But after a while, you might wish to take back that first condition."

Morrie grinned back at her. "I highly doubt that."

"We'll see." Chira remembered something. "Oh, no! We have to meet Jordan and Chris. I totally forgot." She grabbed her bag, and pulled out the pokeball. "We'll finish this conversation later. Return!" A red light shot out of the red and white ball, merging with Morrie and pulling him back into his accommodations.

Chira raced through the city, Insight hot on her heels. She vaguely remembered Jordan's directions to the gym, weaving in and out of the growing crowd. Insight almost lost her several times, barely managing to keep up and not stepped on. By the time they reached the gym, both were panting and red in the face. Well, Chira was anyway. Insight was just panting.

They met Jordan and Chris outside.

"It's about time you got here. What took you so long?"

"I had to release Morrie, only he wanted to come along, so now I have three pokemon." At their blank stares she added, "Gyarados."

"Oh."

Chris was excited. "Lt. Surge isn't real tough, Chira. You should be able to beat him easily enough."

"Remember, Chris," Jordan told him. "You battled him after getting three other badges. Chira only has one. This could be harder for her."

"But Cami is at a higher level than any of my pokemon were," Chris told his cousin. "She shouldn't have that much trouble."

"But Lt. Surge uses electric type pokemon, right? Cami and Morrie both are weak against that type. Insight will be the one battling."

Insight barked beside her. "I'm up for the challenge," she told Chira.

Chira grinned and nodded. "Right, we're up for anything," she told her friends.

They entered, and Chira was struck with how light it was inside. It was so light, in fact, that Chira and her friends were blinded and could only stand just inside the door for several seconds.

"What do you want?" A figure dropped in front of them, surprising Chira and Insight. Chris and Jordan knew what to expect.

"We're here to challenge Lt. Surge for the Thunder Badge," Jordan said, stepping forward.

"Oh, really? All of you?" The figure was sneering at them. Chira blinked several times, finally becoming able to distinguish individual objects.

"No, just me." She said, lowering her hand from shielding her face. "My friends were here not too long ago."

"I recognize the little one," another voice joined in, deep and masculine.

"Who you calling 'little?'" Chris challenged. "And where are you?"

"Relax," the voice said. "I'm up here."

Everyone looked up to see the owner of the voice standing on a balcony.

"You're looking for a gym battle? I accept."


	25. A Shocking Battle

"This will be a one-on-one battle, three pokemon each. First trainer to defeat three of the opponents' will be declared the winner," the trainer they had encountered when first entering was refereeing.

"Ready for this?" Lt. Surge asked, walking a pokeball through his fingers.

Chira grinned at him. "Ready to win," she said confidently. There was a niggling doubt in the back of her mind, though.

"Then let's begin. Go, Raichu!" He threw the pokeball out into the field and an electric mouse appeared. It hopped from foot to foot excitedly.

"Chooo!" it crooned.

Chira took a deep breath. "Let's go Insight."

Insight slowly walked forward nonchalantly. Chira bit her lip to keep from laughing as the eevee seemed to flaunt in front of Raichu. The mouse pokemon started to laugh, almost falling over from hysteria.

"Now, Insight! Tackle!" Insight charged forward, catching Raichu by surprise.

It recovered, though, jumping to the side and avoiding the attack.

"Raichu, counter with Thunder Bolt!"

The pokemon's cheeks starting spitting sparks.

"Insight, dodge it!"

The eevee was too slow, and the attack hit her straight on. Chira clenched her teeth. _Electric pokemon are fast. There's no way Insight will be able to outrun it! We need a strategy, but what?_

The mouse pokemon charged Insight, who barely managed to dodge with a Quick Attack. She was suffering; Chira could easily see that.

Chira bit her lip. "Insight, combine Bite with a Quick Attack!"

"Raichu, Agility!"

The mouse easily dodged, countering with its own Bite. Insight was down for the count. Chira could only stare, finally returning the eevee. "Good job, Insight." The phrase every dog has its day ran through her head. She eyed the electric mouse.

_Morrie can't battle here, he has to have water. Cami is fire, she won't be much good. _Chira's hand tightened on Cami's pokeball. _But she's my only hope. She managed to win the Boulder Badge, she should be able to win the Thunder Badge._

She threw the pokeball out. "Go, Cami! You're my last hope, make me proud!"

The fire horse nickered reassurance to her trainer before taking up a fighting stance. Lt. Surge grinned.

"You're using a fire pokemon. Interesting. With your eevee so weak, I'm surprised you have the confidence to use a weaker type of pokemon."

He withdrew the Raichu and threw out another pokeball. "Go, Magneton!"

A trio of Magnemite appeared, the magnets sending out small occasional shocks. Chira clenched her fist. She had to win.

"Cami! Use Stomp!"

The fire-horse surged forward, her hooves pounding a staccato on the hard ground. Lt. Surge simply grinned. "Pathetic," he said. "Magneton, one Thunder should do it."

A powerful blast of electricity shot at Cami, who stumbled to the side with Agility. She couldn't recover in time, and a follow up Thunder hit her straight on. Chira futilely hit her hand against her thigh as Cami hit the ground. She felt tears prick her eyes. Slowly she called Cami back and let her hand arm fall slack. She turned tear filled eyes upon the Gym Leader.

In a whisper that carried in the dead silence of the Gym, she said, "I concede."

The referee immediately pointed at Lt. Surge and announced, "The winner is Lt. Surge and his Magneton. The Thunder Badge remains his."

The Gym Leader recalled his pokemon and turned away, but turned back. "Maybe you should learn that no trainer that succeeds leans on his pokemon's brute strength alone. He learns to strategize. Before you challenge me again, I suggest you learn that." And with that, he turned away, disappearing into a room at the back.

Chris placed his hand on her arm. "It's okay, Chira. Everyone loses once in a while."

Chira waved him away. "I should have known I wouldn't be able to win. I didn't have a single strategy." She dashed angrily at her eyes. "I will win next time," she said, raising her voice to make sure the Gym Leader heard. "I won't lose again. My pokemon are stronger than that. They don't deserve to lose." _They deserve a stronger trainer than me. I don't deserve them. But I am their trainer, so I will do all that I can to deserve them._

Chira ignored the yells she was receiving as she mounted Cami just outside of town. She was almost ready when Chris caught up to her.

"Why are you leaving?" he panted. "Why can't we go with you?"

"I can travel faster on my own, and I don't want to have to put you through my regiment," she said easily as she finished adjusting the reins she had hooked up to the halter. She had received both from her parents that morning. She had somehow forgotten them both when she left home.

"Regiment?" Jordan asked.

Chira grinned. "You can't handle it if you have to ask." Then, more seriously, "I'll be back by the time the ship is fixed. I'll meet you at the first sailing. See you!" She waved merrily and Cami burst forward into a run. The figures of her two friends dwindled quickly as the fire-horse's long strides ate up the miles. Chira smiled into the wind, holding her arms out to feel the violent breeze.

She laughed as she was almost tugged off her friend's back, grabbing hold of her mane just in time to stop herself. Cami shook her head uneasily. Chira could tell she wasn't happy with her rider. She didn't feel the least bit guilty from the fright she had just given her; she was in too good a mood for that.

They traveled all day with only the occasional break, usually to let Insight out for a breather. Morrie only got let out once, when they happened to stop beside a relatively large pond. She hadn't wanted to have to slow her pace for Insight's speed, and Morrie couldn't be out unless they were traveling beside a river anyway.

Though she knew it was a good way for her pokemon to grow stronger, Chira was glad no trainers had been able to challenge them to a battle.

They stopped in Saffron city for lunch, eating at the city's pokemon center. Chira had been forced to withdraw Cami at the gatehouse, so Insight was the only company the girl had. Chira had just finished her sandwich when a commotion on the other side of the cafeteria drew her attention. She left her pokemon to finish her food and headed over. She managed to push her way through the growing crowd to find a pokemon battle occurring. Two young girls, who looked enough alike to be twins, were battling with a Bellosom and an Ivysaur. Neither seemed to be winning.

"Bellosom, Solar Beam!" one of them cried. The Ivysaur easily countered with a Razor Leaf, disintegrating the beam.

"Ivy, use Vine Whip!" the other one told her pokemon, a smile of victory on her lips. The Bellosom cried out in pain as the two whips knocked it back. Chira frowned slightly. At least, though, it was in a pokemon center.

The winner's smile grew smugger. "Can any of you defeat my Ivysaur?" she challenged.

The Ivysaur seemed to be confidant in its victory.

Chira shook her head, turning to go.

"You there! You, turning away!" Chira stopped. "Can you defeat me? Are you strong enough? I bet you don't even have two pokemon yet, you have the look of a new trainer."

Chira turned back to her. "I have three pokemon, but I will not subject them to the humiliation of battling you."

"At least you have the sense to know I'll beat you." She turned her attention to the rest of the crowd, but Chira wasn't finished.

"I won't subject them to the humiliation of being able to defeat your Ivysaur in one attack. I won't subject them to the humiliation of having the brand of fighting you haunt them."

And she was done, fading back through the crowd before the raging girl had a chance to speak.

"Get back here! I won't tolerate that slur against my pokemon!"

Chira smiled. She didn't have to tolerate it, she just had to accept it. Those two pokemon were doing high level attacks, but they were incredibly weak. Cami could easily take that Ivysaur out without a sweat.

The girl grabbed her arm. "I demand you battle me," she threatened, her eyes blazing.

Chira met her gaze squarely. "You can't demand anything of me."

She crossed her arms. "Just as I thought, you're scared."

"I am nothing of the kind. I simply do not wish to waste my efforts with you." _Yes, just keep getting madder. You won't have the remotest chance then. You won't be able to think straight. _

The girl smiled triumphantly. "You won't battle me because you know your pokemon will lose."

"I don't have to battle you to prove myself. Even if I did, I have nothing to prove to you."

"Your pokemon are weak, pathetic excuses for-" She didn't get to finish. They were close enough to Chira's table for Insight to hear the entire conversation. She had had enough. She leapt between the two humans, snarling as viciously as she could.

"Can't you keep your pokemon on a leash?" the girl snarled back as Chira hastily scooped her up. "Just as I thought, you don't have the skill to be a trainer."

"Let me at her, Chira, she isn't good enough to badmouth you. Let me go, let me battle that overgrown weed of hers. Please!"

Chira's grip on the dog pokemon tightened.

"You're not fit to have your license!" the girl was taunting.

Chira lost it. "Alright, Insight," she said, dropping her on the floor. "Let's show this joke what being a trainer really means."

Her opponent smiled in triumph. "Right, how many of your pokemon do you want to see faint?" She pulled out a pokeball.

Chira's grip tightened on Cami's pokeball. "Let's take this somewhere else, shall we?"

"There's a stadium just down the hall. How does that sound?"

"Perfect."

Five minutes later they were facing each other across an arena, a relatively large crowd gathered to watch the match. They had decided on two pokemon each.

"Your start," Chira told the girl.

"Fine," she said, pulling out a pokeball. "I call Clefable to the field."

The pink fairy pokemon appeared, and the crowd murmured in wonder and appreciation, just as the girl had anticipated.

"Insight, you can handle this, can't you?" Chira asked.

"Of course, you think otherwise?" she asked, jumping forward to face her opponent.

"Not in the least, friend, not in the least."


	26. An Old Friend

Finally! I'm finally able to upload and continue! Sorry about the wait, folks. First I had some writer's block, then the site wouldn't let me upload it once I was ready. I'll try to update sooner next time.

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"Insight, start with Double Team!"

The Eevee leapt forward and seemed to be cloned.

"Clefable, use Metronome."

Clefable began to dance around, waving its fingers in the air. Chira frowned as she felt its affect on her.

"Metronome, that's tricky. And it's Confusion, too. Insight, keep focused!" She fell back to muttering. "Why is it so strong? That pokemon isn't strong enough for me to feel the affects so much. It's like I'm getting the attack head on…"

"Keep it up, Clefable! Once that Eevee's confused, let it have it!" The girl seemed to delight in the fact that Insight kept running into things, though she was fighting the attack. "Haha! I told you your pokemon were weaklings. Haha!"

"Chira, there's more than one Clefable!" Insight cried just before tripping over her paws.

Something snapped in Chira. Her opponent wasn't even taking the opening she had to end the battle. She was having fun watching Insight hurt herself.

The edges of Chira's vision started to turn white, but she didn't notice. "Insight, use Bite!"

The Eevee's head snapped around, and she lunged perfectly for the Clefable, her teeth glowing a brilliant white. The Clefable didn't stand a chance. It hit the ground hard.

Both Chira and Insight were panting hard. Chira's vision returned to normal, and the last effects of the Confusion Metronome wore off from Insight. Neither were sure what had just happened. Insight had been on the ground seeing multiples of her foe, then she could clearly see and was attacking.

Chira shook it off as her opponent called Ivysaur to the field.

"Ivysaur is my strongest pokemon, there's no way you'll win against it."

"Your strongest, huh? Well, then that warrants my strongest pokemon as well. Come back, Insight. And go, Cami!"

The fire horse appeared and the crowd drew in many collective gasps and murmurs. Cami nickered.

"You're going to make this interesting, are you? Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!"

A blast of razor sharp leaves flew at Cami.

"Cami, use Fire Spin!" Flames surrounded the horse, and Chira had a sense of Déjà vu when she remembered her battle with Trey. Cami burst out of her surrounding protection, wisps of fire clinging onto her as she Tackled Ivysaur, damaging it more than a regular tackle would. Chira smiled. "And that is a Fire Tackle," she said softly.

"Ivysaur's not done yet," the girl smiled. "Use Leech Seed!"

The bud on Ivysaur's back glowed for a moment before shooting out a seed. The seed hit Cami, trapping her in the vines that grew from it. Chira bit her lip as her friend struggled to get out of her prison.

"C'mon, Cami, Fire Spin again!"

The fire pokemon's eyes glowed red for a moment before she was once again surrounded in a tornado of fire. The imprisoning vines dissipated in the flames, freeing her. With a snort, she rushed out of the flames, performing Fire Tackle at the same time she finished with Fire Blast. Ivysaur hit the ground with a thud.

Chira clutched her head, dizzy. "Well, Cami, we won. Come on back." A red light shot out of the pokeball, calling the fire horse back in.

She approached her opponent. "Good fight," she said, extending her hand.

"Whatever," the girl said, turning away.

Chira stood there for a moment, too stunned to react. Once she recovered, she simply shrugged and turned to leave.

"Boss, we've found one," a young man in the back of the crowd said into the cellphone in his hand. "And she has no idea."

"Good," came the answer. "Don't try anything, though. Let's just keep an eye on her."

"Roger. Will do."

Cami snorted when Chira let her out just outside of town. "That Ivysaur was pathetic."

"Yeah, it was, but…" Chira leaned against a tree, still holding her head. "Do you mind if we take it slow on the way to Cerulean? My head is really bothering me."

"Of course not. I understand perfectly."

"Oh, good."

They had to camp out that night, making it into Cerulean about noon the next day. Chira's head was still bothering her, but not as much as before. It was down to a dull throb.

"Well, this is it. The Cerulean Gym, home to the Cerulean sisters. I wonder which one we're going to end up fighting." Chira absently stroked Insight's ears, running her fingers through the soft fur.

"Who are you going to use?" Insight asked between appreciative murmurs.

"Probably Morrie. I haven't used him yet, and from what I've heard the arena is a water arena. I wouldn't dare use Cami, and you don't know how to swim yet, so…"

"Yet?" the eevee questioned apprehensively.

Chira smiled. "Yes, yet. I want to teach you how to swim so you can fight in these types of arenas."

"Hey! Chira!" She turned to spot Trey running up behind her. "Are you getting ready for a Gym battle?" he asked. "May I watch?"

"Sure, why not?" They entered, Chira somewhat surprised at the layout. "I forgot, Cerulean Gym has a lot of water shows as well as Gym Battles."

"Yeah, the Cerulean sister's are famous around the world." They passed a glass window looking out into a vast 'fish' tank. A wide selection of water pokemon were swimming around. Chira caught a glimpse of a Gyarados, a Dewgong, a Seaking, and more. "So what pokemon are you going to use?" Trey broke into her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, right, which pokemon. Morrie." Then at the blank look, "Gyarados."

"You have a Gyarados?" he asked, brows raised. "Impressive."

"Well, you know," Chira shrugged, blushing.

The sound of a crowd reached their ears, and they followed it, coming out at the top of some bleacher's overlooking a gigantic swimming pool. Three women and three pokemon, Dewgong, Lapras, and Goldeen, were doing a water dance. Chira couldn't help it. She had to smother the laugh that bubbled up inside her. Insight was experiencing the same turmoil. Trey watched the two, a puzzled expression fleeting across his face.

"I'm sorry," Chira managed, before turning and running down the hall. Once at a safe distance, she burst out laughing.

Trey found her sometime later browsing through the Cerulean Gym gift shop. He leaned against a display of water pokemon books. "Care to explain that little performance earlier?" he asked.

Chira shook her head. "An inside joke," she said.

"With who? Your eevee?"

"No, not quite…" Her thoughts drifted to the past.

_She was lying at the top of a hill with Cami, simply watching the clouds drift by. _

_"What do you suppose our trainer's journey will be like?" she asked the horse. _

_"I don't know. What do you think our opponents will be like?" the fire pokemon responded, turning the question back to her friend. _

_"I don't know. I hope we don't have to fight any sissies, though. That would be too weird." _

_Cami snorted. "Maybe they'll even be dancing during the battle." _

_The two laughed. _

"Chira? The performance is done now; do you want to battle now or wait?"

Chira's eyes lit with the flame of battle. "Now, most definitely."

Ten minutes later she stood on a floating platform in a different pool facing the oldest Cerulean Sister, Daisy. Her hand tightened its grip on Morrie's pokeball. She was more than ready.

She barely heard what Lily was saying for the requirements. She knew that however many pokemon the Gym Leader was going to use, Morrie would be her only choice.

The droning seemed to go on forever, but she was too excited to listen. Finally, it seemed to be done. Her opponent released a Seaking.

"Go, Morrie!" she cried, throwing the pokeball deep into the clear water. The form of the water-snake appeared for a moment glowing red, then faded into his real colors: blue, tan, and white. Her opponent stared.

"I thought you wanted to fight at the Cascade level!" she said. "But if you have a Gyarados, then there's no way you're only there."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I only caught Morrie here recently. I am at the Cascade level. Now let's go!"

"Okay, if that's the way you want it. Seaking, use Horn Attack!" Daisy called.

"Oh, yeah?" she challenged. "Morrie, counter with…" Her mind blanked. She didn't know what attacks Morrie knew. "Oh, no," she moaned softly.

The Seaking flew out of the water, its fins flapping uselessly. It landed back in the pool with a splash. Chira blinked. Morrie had just done something, but she had completely missed what it was. She fished in her pocket for her pokedex. She quickly scrolled through until she pulled up a picture of a Gyarados.

"Okay, so he probably knows Tackle, what about Water Gun?"

"Chira!" Trey called from the stands. "Concentrate!"

She looked up just in time to see Morrie taking a beating. "No!" she cried.

"Seaking, finish it with Surf!" her opponent cried.

A massive wave swiftly formed and, gathering strength rapidly, traveled down the length of the pool and hit Chira full force. She was shoved off the platform, Insight with her. Dimly, as she sunk, she was aware of the spectators' reaction. One of the sisters was frantically asking Trey if she could swim. He didn't have a clue, though. They could only watch and wait for her to surface.

But she didn't. She couldn't seem to move. She was vaguely aware of her pokedex slipping out of her grasp and sinking to the bottom of the pool. She knew she would need to surface soon, but for the present she was content in this world of silence and freedom. A fleeting thought caused her to look around for Insight, and, upon finding her, swim over to her. She gripped her canine friend in a hug, air bubbles escaping from both of them. She gazed up at the surface, which was rapidly growing farther away. Her breath was almost gone.

A movement below her drew her attention, and she found Morrie rising up beneath her. Her hair floated in front of her face, quickly taking a gravitational pull when he began pushing her to the surface.

When they surfaced, she was kneeling on his massive head. Quickly she caught her breath. She felt like her battle spirit was renewed. "Morrie," she said softly. "Drop us off on a platform and finish it with Bite."


	27. If Wishes Were Fishes

Hey, here's the next chappie! I recently realized, fool that I am, that the spaces between sections weren't showing up. And since I've been trying to get ahead of what's posted, there might still be a few that are a touch confusing. But I'm trying to fix it! Just bear with me, and I'll love you all to death. JK!

Anyway, I want to take a moment to thank all of you who are reading this and sticking with me. I really appreciate it, and I really appreciate the reviews, especially the ones pointing out problems and confusing bits of this.

Khgirl08 – It's pronounced cheer-uh. Sorry about that. I listen to it in my mind, and I guess I expect everyone else to know how to pronounce it. Thanks for asking!

Blood Sucking Fox – Thank you! I try to keep people off balance as much as possible so that when I bring something up, it really surprises it. When I read books like that, I love it, so I'm trying to use it in my writing style. My biggest problem is watching out for inconsistencies.

Anyway, on with the story!

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"And the Cascade Badge is awarded to Chira Tuscone!"  
Chira beamed at her pokemon and Trey. "We did it! Our second Gym Badge!" She hugged Insight and began dancing around joyously. Trey just smiled at them. "Yes! We are ready! Ready for whatever may come our way!"

They were walking outside, Chira still overly excited about her victory. "We won. Hah! Take that Lt. Surge!" Immediately her mood became sober again.

"What's wrong?" Trey asked.

Chira told him about her confrontation with the Vermilion Gym Leader. "I wasn't prepared at all for it. I shouldn't have thought I could do it."

Trey shrugged. "Everyone loses sometime," he said. "The losses just make the victories so much the sweeter. C'mon, let's get some ice cream." He pointed to a shop on the other side of the street.

They ate it in the park, Insight playing happily on the slide when she was done. Trey finished his ice cream first of the two humans. "So where are you headed next?" he asked nonchalantly.

Chira shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't want to go back to Vermilion just yet…"

"So don't. There's a Gym in Celadon City. Why don't you go there? I think it's a grass type, so Cami should be able to pull you a victory."

"Yeah, maybe."

He smiled at her. "Tell you what, I'll even come with!"

Chira simply looked at him, unsure how to respond.

"Sure, why not?" he said more to himself than her. "I can always restock my supplies from the department store." He looked at her, waiting for an answer.

Chira smiled. "You can come with. That is, if you can keep up."

"Keep up? I'm going to smoke you."

"Just try."

Surprisingly, it was an arcanine that Trey released to ride. Chira hadn't expected his growlithe to have evolved. She was even a touch disappointed. Even more surprisingly, though, was the fact that they were able to keep up. Cami wasn't going her absolute fastest, but she was still going fast.

They made excellent time, despite the fact the two pokemon ended up competing and wearing themselves out. They camped by a river, Chira excitedly releasing Morrie.

"All right, Morrie. Cami's done with her training for the day, it's your turn now. Ready?"

The pokemon nodded and moved slightly to let her jump on. Chira hesitated when she caught sight of her reflection, frowned, and leaned closer to the water to examine her hair. The roots were starting to show. She'd need to find some dye when they arrived in Celadon…

With a start she looked up. Trey followed her gaze, eyes widening when he saw the golden bird pokemon flying overhead. "What is that?" he asked, pulling out his pokedex.

"Ho-oh," Chira breathed sleepily, and collapsed.

_She was flying low over villages and towns, but no one was seeing her. The sounds of battle reached her ears and she changed course slightly. Soon the scene of carnage was below her, and she could see humans using pokemon to fight for them. They didn't even care when one fell. Rage built up within her, taking form when she used her Sacred Fire technique. The screams reached her ears, and she realized too late that she had hit the pokemon as well… _

"Chira!"

Chira sat bolt upright, breathing hard. She was dismayed to realize she was shaking. Hugging herself, she asked, "What happened?"

Trey sat back on his heels. "I was hoping you could tell me. You collapsed when that pokemon flew over, and then you were screaming up a storm." He scratched his head. "What did you call that pokemon, anyway? The pokedex didn't recognize it."

Chira frowned. "I don't know," she said. "The last thing I remember is releasing Morrie…"

He stared at her. "Are you serious?" he asked incredulously.

She blushed and nodded.

"I don't believe this," he muttered.

"Are you okay?" someone asked breathlessly.

They both turned to find a girl gazing at them worriedly, an Umbreon beside her. "I heard a scream and…" Her eyes flashed. "This guy isn't giving you any trouble, is he?" she asked Chira.

Chira shook her head. "No, not at all." She shakily gained her feet. "I'm Chira, and this is my friend Trey. Morrie wouldn't let anyone harm me." She gestured to her Gyarados.

The girl smiled. "My name is Erin. This is Zwilum." The Umbreon carefully padded forward before bowing to the strangers. "We heard the screams and decided to investigate." She waited.

Trey glanced at Chira, waiting for an explanation. She frowned and scratched her head. "I'm not sure what happened, exactly," she said finally. "I think I tripped and blacked out for a moment."

"She's lying," Zwilum growled.

Morrie shifted behind Chira, who frowned.

Erin hushed Zwilum with a hand on his head. She glanced at them. "Are you sure?" she questioned.

Chira's eyes widened. "You can understand him!" she said without thinking.

The girl stilled. Trey stared at Chira. Chira stared at her. The girl stared at, well, them. Her pokemon was between them, ready to attack. Erin took a couple steps back, preparing to flee.

"No, wait!" Chira called, but they were gone. A split second later a scream cut through the air. Chira was running in a moment, Trey right behind her. Morrie roared behind them, unable to follow.

They found Erin clutching Zwilum to her, trying to shield the Umbreon from a man. He looked up as they approached and smiled. "What is this?" he said, his voice a purr. "Friends? I never would have expected it of you."

Erin glanced at them, panicked. "Go away!" she screamed at them. "Go away! I don't want you involved in this!"

The man grabbed her arm. "It's too late for that."

Chira's hand tightened around Insight's home. "Who are you?" she asked.

Trey took a step back. "I don't think that's a good thing to ask at the moment, Chira."

"I think it's the perfect thing to ask, Trey." She released Insight, the Eevee settling immediately into a fighting stance. "Now answer the question."

The man laughed. "I see you've met someone else with your blood, Erin dear." His hand settled on her head. "Perhaps this is worth looking into. After all, an influx in those with Ancient blood will be a point of interest to _him_."

"What are you talking about?" Trey demanded, his hand on one of his pokeballs as well.

"Why don't you ask your friend," he said, gesturing to Chira.

Trey looked at her and she shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest," she said.

"No, you don't, do you?" the man sneered. "Oh, well." He shoved Erin forward, the girl sprawling on the ground. "I'll let you go for now. But next time, you won't be so lucky." He tossed a pokeball straight up into the air, mounting even before the Dragonite was fully out. Immediately the pokemon took flight.

"Hey, wait!" Chira screamed, but once more the object of her scream was gone. She kicked at a stone. "Why does that keep happening?" she growled.

Trey helped Erin up. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, Zwilum pressing close to her.

"What was he talking about, do you know?"

Erin's eyes flashed. "I don't know," she said, and turned on her heel.

Chira ran to catch up. "If you don't tell us, we can't help you," she said.

"You can't help me anyway." She pushed her hair out of her face. "No one can," she muttered.

Chira tripped over a stick, landing painfully. "Ouch!"

"Are you okay?" Erin asked, bending to help her up.

Chira smiled at her. "See what we're experiencing? The first reaction when someone stumbles is to help. Now how about telling us your problem?"

A wall formed between them almost instantly. Erin hissed, "Keep your nose out of other people's business, will you? It's not like you can do anything, anyway. Even if he was right about you and you do have ancient blood, you won't be able to stand up to them. Besides, you'll probably end up being hunted as well." She smiled satisfactorily at that. "There's better chance for at least one of us to escape if we stay apart."

Chira stared at the girl. "You have to be one of the most stubborn people I have ever met," she spat. "Don't you think we'll be stronger if we work together?"

Erin turned her back and began walking swiftly away.

"Hey, come back!" Chira scrambled to her feet but was stopped from pursuing the girl and Umbreon when a hand grasped her wrist.

"Let them go, Chira," Trey said. "They obviously don't want our help."

"B-but they're in trouble!" Chira struggled. "Let me go. We have to help her."

He began to pull her back to Morrie.  
"Let me go!" Chira's eyes filled with tears as Erin disappeared from view.

She crumpled beside Morrie, trembling with anger, but knowing at the same time that Trey was right. She couldn't help if Erin didn't want help.

"My suggestion to you is to put it from your mind," Trey advised. "Otherwise the guilt will eat you up." He relit the fire and put some water onto boil. "You'll probably see you again sometime, when you're more experienced."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I just wish…"

" 'If wishes were fishes, there'd be no room in the river for the water.'" Trey smiled. "Relax. She seemed like the kind of person who can handle anything life throws at her. Now eat." He shoved a bowl of soup into her hands.

She stared at the liquid, her appetite gone. Sighing, she set it down. "I still haven't trained Morrie," she said. She looked up at the Gyarados. "Are you ready?"

Morrie seemed to sense her mood for he nodded. "Let's go."

She swiftly mounted, settling just on his neck. She wrapped a rope around his mouth, and prepared to hold on for dear life. With a lurch, Morrie shot down the river. Chira closed her eyes and let the spray wash over her. Trey was soon gone from sight, and Chira turned to the winding ribbon of water and the sense of unease that gripped her.


	28. Big buildings and close calls

Shout out to all my reviewers!

-Guardian of the Hell Gate: I love writing, and though there are times I get distracted, in my heart, I never give up on any story. (Except for the ones I started when I was five or the ones I have to write for school. Some of those it would be better to jsut scrap, you get the picture)

-Wild Totodile: Like it? I'm glad!

-Elliot: Sniff, sniff. That is the best encouragement an author can get!

-Khgirl08: Wait, this is a mystery? flips through script that's news to me! (jk)

-Blood Sucking Fox: Your guess hit the nail on the head. : D

-Kouken: When I began writing, I honestly never thought I'd inspire anyone to do anything. To tell the truth, I'm flabbergasted. But its a good thing!

To those of you who were here from the beginning, I understand you might be hurt that I never responded to you. Don't worry. I probably won't keep this up. I think I'm only going to respond to those I haven't before or otherwise through messages.

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Chira stared around her at the buildings that seemed so different from her own home town. "This is Celadon?" she asked Trey, hugging Insight to her.

"Yep," he nodded, his eyes reflecting some deep emotion. He shook his head. "Come on, there's still plenty of time for you to challenge Erika."

"Erika?" Chira trailed behind him. "Have you fought her before?"

Trey flashed her a smile. "Yep. When I was just starting out, Erika was my first Gym battle."

"Was she hard?" Chira asked, cocking her head.

"Of course. All Gym Leaders are hard if you're not ready for them."

"What is that?!" Chira asked before stumbling to a halt, her eyes wide as she gazed at the huge building that rose from the streets like a guard tower.

"Hmm? Oh, that's Celadon department store… You haven't traveled much, have you?" Trey smiled at her astonishment.

Chira blushed. "Not really. I mean, not to any big cities. After…" She gulped back her explanation and substituted, "My parents aren't all that keen on big crowds. We generally stick to smaller towns."

Trey raised an eyebrow but let it pass. "Too bad. Guess I'll have to keep a close eye on you then. Don't want you getting lost in the crowds," he teased.

Chira bit her lip.

"Don't worry about it!" Trey told her. "You'll be fine. Cities are nothing to be scared of."

"Kyaaa!"

Chira automatically ducked as a low shadow dove at her. She rolled to the side, protecting Insight as much as possible.

"Hey!"

She heard a crack, then a thud, and looked up to find Trey standing over a grounded Spearow, holding his pack like a weapon.

"Trey!" she cried, rushing to the pokemon's side. "You could have killed it!"

Trey stared at her, amazed, as she fussed over the Spearow, checking it for injuries. "Chira," he began slowly. "It just attacked you!"

"It was just acting on orders!" she shot back, then paled.

By now a small crowd had formed around them, murmuring to themselves. A woman pushed through the people, throwing herself at the Spearow with a small cry.

Trey pulled Chira up and hissed at her, "What do you mean 'acting on orders?' What are you not telling me, Chira?"

She tried to pull away. "Trey, you're hurting me," she whimpered, prying at his fingers around her arm.

"What did you do?!" the woman demanded, cradling the Spearow in her arms. A nice lump was forming on its head, visible even at a distance. "Why did you attack my Spuck?"

"What?! Lady, that thing attacked us first!" Trey told her, pushing Chira behind him. She grabbed his pack as he began gesticulating while still holding it, nearly hitting _her_ in the head.

"Spuck would never do that! He's loyal to me, and he loves humans! He'd never do something like that against my orders!"

"Then maybe it wasn't against your orders," Trey said very quietly.

The woman paled almost imperceptibly, but Chira noticed, and so, apparently, did Trey. The crowd had gone silent.

"You did order it, didn't you?" Trey said, still in that too quiet voice.

"Why would I tell Spuck to do something like that? I've never even met your friend!"

"My friend?"

Too late she realized her mistake. "Well, yeah, I figured your friend was the one who was attacked, wasn't she? You aren't the one with the scrapes," she added somewhat smugly, proud of her save.

Chira glanced down at herself. She did have several scrapes on her hands, and one knee of her pants was ripped, but that was about it. Not very much to go on, especially considering her hands weren't visible to the woman, and her pants could have ripped before. How had she known the woman had initiated it, anyway?

She glanced up at the overcast sky. Dark clouds on a very windy day. It was going to storm later. She shook her head. Where did that come from? This was no time to be distracted. She returned her gaze to the two trainers squaring off just in time to lock with the eyes of a member of the crowd right behind the woman.

" Erin?" she asked, taking a step forward. Next moment the world was reeling and her knees hit the ground. She shook her head, her eyes closed tightly against the sickening sensation. When the world finally righted itself, she opened her eyes to find Trey kneeling in front of her, the woman right behind. Her eyes reflected genuine fear for a moment before being masked by concern, real or faked, Chira couldn't tell.

"Chira?" Trey asked. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, stilling when the world threatened to tilt again.

"Are you sick?"

She frowned at Trey. "I feel perfectly alright, just a little dizzy." With a start, she remembered the apparition and jumped to her feet, only to find unfamiliar faces surrounding her. Her shoulders sagged.

Trey slipped her arm over his shoulder. "Why don't we challenge Erika tomorrow? I think you could use some rest."

"No," Chira shook her head. "I'm ready now."

"No, you aren't."

Chira stared at him. His voice and eyes were steely, and she knew immediately that it was foolish to try and fight him.

"Fine," she sighed, sagging against him. By the time they reached the pokecenter, she was grateful for his support. Her head was killing her, and her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own as they kept slipping closed. "Something is seriously wrong with me," she mumbled, her voice thick and slurred. "I can't understand." Trey helped her onto a couch. "I was never sick as a child. I would spend all night in the rain, barefoot and in short sleeves, and I would be as healthy as ever the next day. Why am I so weak all of a sudden?"

Trey motioned to Nurse Joy to help him get her into a room. "She needs some serious sleep. If she's not better in the morning, I'm going to force medication down her if I have to."

A figure turned from the back of the crowd as Chira collapsed, walking quickly away, a smaller figure following.

"They have no idea," the first person muttered.

"Why is she so weak now, monsieur?" the second asked in a soft, low voice.

"The strong ones always are as their gift matures. We must let _him_ know."

The smaller one shuddered. "I'm glad you're the one making the call."

Chira yawned and stretched, blinking at the murky sunlight coming through the window. Rain pounded heavily against the panes, a lilting music against a backdrop of city sounds. She shook her head, and tried to capture a hazy memory. A storm. Worse than this one. A sensation of rocking violently. A boat? She shook her head as it began to pound. It was never a good idea to start out the day with a headache. Maybe some hot chocolate would help wake her up.

She found Trey pacing the cafeteria. He rounded on her. "How are you feeling this morning? You sure slept enough last night."

Chira glanced at the clock, surprised to find it close to noon already. "I'm feeling a lot better. I don't know what's come over me recently, but I sure will be glad when I'm over it."

"You and me both," Trey muttered, guiding her to a table. "Sorry, but you'll have to settle for lunch fare. They took in the breakfast food around ten."

"That's fine. In fact, food of any kind sounds really good! I'm just sorry I slept so long. Did you feed Cami and them?"

Trey nodded. "First thing, along with my pokemon."

The two joined the small line of people. "You know, I don't think I ever have seen all of your pokemon. What do you have?"

Trey smiled. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Chira thought. "You have an Arcanine and a Bellosom, that I know of. Will you tell me if I guess?"

He shook his head, handing her a tray.

"Oh, come on! You're not being fair!"

"Glad to see you're feeling better," a soft voice said. Chira turned to find Nurse Joy watching her. "If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be happy to help."

"Thank-you!" Chira smiled widely.

They slid into a table, and Chira paused before taking her first bite, fork in midair. "You know, I should probably call my parents and Jordan. Afterall…"

She looked at Trey just in time to see a flash of something quickly hidden. "What?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, taking a bite of broccoli. He wrinkled his nose at it. "Mush," he muttered, before moving on to something else.

Chira smiled and dug into her salad heartily. It wasn't the freshest, but is sure beat travel food.

"When do you want to go to the Gym?" Trey asked.

"As soon as we're done eating, if it's okay with you," Chira managed around a bite of lettuce.

Trey's mouth twitched.

"Don't laugh!" Chira pleaded, swallowing. "You purposefully chose that time to ask a question, so don't blame me when I try to answer it!"

"I'm not!" Trey held his hands up to show his innocence.

Chira growled at him. Trey froze.

She blinked at his expression. "I was only playing, Trey."

"Do that again," he told her.

"What?" She stared at him, not quite believing she heard right.

"Growl again. Go on," he urged.

"Why?"

"Because…" He paused, thinking of a reason he could give her.

"Excuse me, but you have a phone call." Chira turned to find Nurse Joy standing beside them. "It's your mother."

Chira shot out of her chair. She waited impatiently by the front desk for Joy, and lunged at the cubicle she pointed out. "Mom?"

"Honey." Her mother's face appeared on the screen. "You haven't a clue how long it's taken me to track you down. I honestly didn't think you would be at Celadon already."

"Yeah, we kind of went on a detour. I still need to earn the Thunder Badge, and then we'll be moving in order again."

"Good, just keep your goal in mind. How have you been?"

"Good! Things have kind of been getting hectic, but we're all fine," Chira lied, crossing her fingers in her lap.

"And those two charming boys you were traveling with?"

"They're in Vermillion. They both have already earned the badges I'm going for, and Cami can travel faster on her own."

"Your father will be so proud. He had to step out a moment, but he'll be back shortly. We miss you, you know. It's not the same without you."

"Oh, Mom."

"So what are your plans after you've earned the eight Kanto badges?"

"I'm going to the Orange Islands," Chira answered promptly.

"Following the lead on your birth family?" her mother asked softly.

"Yeah," Chira answered just as softly.

There was silence for a moment. Then Chira said, trying to sound natural, "Well, I have to get ready to battle the Gym Leader here, so I'll talk to you later."

"All right. Be careful, Chira. And remember, your father and I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured as she hung up.

Shaking her head, she dialed the Vermilion pokecenter's number.


	29. Challenge!

Hey, sorry about the long delay. There were a bunch of factors, including not having time, the site acting up and not letting me upload, and so on. But now that I'm on break, I should be able to upload a few chapters, so cross your fingers and hope. Anyway, here's the next chapter and be happy I finally got it up! (again, sorry!)

Oh, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I'm not doing singular thank yous this time because that would call for more time and I feel bad enough as is...

So forge on, valiant readers!

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Chira stepped into Celadon Gym, blinking. She smothered a yawn, and shook her head to clear it. She was more tired now than when she woke up. She held Cami's pokeball loosely in her hand. "I've come to challenge the Gym Leader," she told the receptionist.

"Erika is busy at the moment," the woman replied without looking up. "If you could come back later, it would be greatly appreciated."

Chira blinked. "Busy? Doing what?"

"That isn't any of your business; just know that she isn't accepting any challengers today." The woman grabbed a piece of paper and handed it to Chira. "Why don't you fill this out before you come back? It's an application to see Erika."

"What? Why do I need an application?" Chira waved the slip of paper in front of the woman's nose. "Look, Sue," she said, spotting the nametag the woman wore. "I don't have time to wait for Erika. I've challenged her, and she can't back down."

Sue blinked, unperturbed. "She can't back down, but she doesn't have to battle you right away."

"Oh, come on!"

Trey chuckled, but slipped in front of her. "Since when did the Gym Leader start requiring applications?" he asked.

The woman glared at him.

"It's a simple question, no reason to get so huffy."

Sue sighed. "If you must know, there was a break in about two months ago. Erica was here late, and she was able to intercept them before they could take any pokemon, but the thieves weren't caught. We've had to be extremely cautious since then about who we let into the Gym." She pulled out several slips of paper and began scribbling on them. "I've said too much as it is, so go ahead and fill it out."

Trey steered Chira out of the building before she could protest further. "Be glad they're letting people in at all, Chira."

She sighed. "I know." She kicked at a piece of litter before bending down and throwing the Styrofoam cup into the nearest wastebasket. "Man, that really rankles. To know there are pokemon thieves on the loose, I mean."

"It's almost like the old days," Trey murmured.

"What?" Chira swung around. "You know, back when Ash was still new to pokemon training; Team Rocket was out to steal pokemon?"

Chira grimaced. "Let's hope there aren't any left over." She glanced up as they entered the press of the buildings once more, pulling her jacket tighter around her against the wind and light rain. "We might as well visit the department store now. After all, no time like the present."

Chira swiftly led the way into the department store and glanced up at the decorations and the pokemon supplies. "I wonder where they keep the hair dye?" she muttered to herself.

Trey smiled behind her and gripped her shoulder, stopping her in front of a store sign listing the floor departments. "Will this help?" he chuckled.

Chira blushed, embarrassed he had heard her but grateful he didn't ask any questions. She traced her finger down the list of departments, trying to decide what supplies she needed.

"I have some shopping of my own to do," Trey said, studying the list as well. "Why don't we split up and meet later?"

Chira nodded. "How about in two hours at that convenience store over there?" she asked, quickly figuring which one they both would need to visit.

"Sounds good to me. That would give me plenty of time to get done what I need to get done." Trey tapped a pokeball, hesitating.

"What is it?" Chira asked, still keeping most of her attention on planning the most efficient order of stops. She started to write down the order.

"Nothing," Trey decided. "I'll see you in two hours?"

"Yeah. See ya." Chira finally figured out the best route and straightened, somewhat disappointed to find Trey gone until she remembered their agreement. She shrugged, stuck the slips of paper into her pack, and set off. Her first stop was to get hair dye; the silver was really starting to show through. She took the stairs on a whim, Insight right behind her. The little dog had put her input on the order and need, and Chira wasn't planning to keep her out of the actual shopping.

She pushed open the floor door, pausing just inside the door as she was met with a swarm of people. Insight froze along with her. Chira cocked her head toward her pokemon. "Maybe we should come back to this floor," she said, her eyes wide at the number of people.

"Maybe… But what if it just gets worse in the meantime?" Insight scratched her ear, drawing attention from a black-haired woman who stood nearby.

"Oh, is that your Eevee?" she asked, approaching. She bent and scratched Insight's itch for her, earning a doggy version of a grateful purr. Insight licked the woman's hand.

She laughed softly. Chira immediately liked her.

"You've weaseled your way into my pokemon's heart," she laughed, extending a hand. "I'm Chira."

The woman stood. "I am Erika." She bowed to a shocked Chira.

"You're the Gym Leader?" she asked, aghast.

Erika's features immediately became shuttered. "Yes."

Chira bit her lip at her mistake. "I'm sorry, but I was just at the Gym. I'm afraid I rather made a fool of myself trying to challenge you." She looked away. "I understand now why the receptionist said you were busy."

Erika turned away. "I will be at the Gym tomorrow. You can battle me then."

Chira stared after her.

"Well she was rather rude, don't you think?" Insight huffed.

"She had an excuse," Chira murmured. Her reaction had still hurt, though. Chira sighed. "C'mon, let's find the stuff we need."

Insight yipped slightly as they moved out into the aisles, yanking her tail out from under a foot. Chira promptly scooped her up, allowing her to crawl onto her shoulder, balancing precariously. She quickly grabbed a couple bags of dye, toothpaste (for when she ran low, it was on sale), several other small items, and, at Insight's insistence, a box of granola bars. She joined the line, pulling out her shopping list to check off the items and see if there was anything else she needed to buy here.

After paying, she headed toward poke-supplies. She grabbed a basket and loaded it, grabbing everything from potions to a couple revives, and quite a bit of pokechow.

"I don't like that one," Insight protested as Chira left that aisle. "It tastes like road kill!"

"And you've tasted road kill… when?" Chira pulled down a map, frowned at it, and put it back.

"Chira!" Insight wrinkled her nose. "You know what I mean! Can't we just try a different type, just this once? Please?" She begged, puppy dog style.

Chira sighed. "Insight, that brand is the cheapest, I can't afford any of the others."

A chuckle from her left startled Chira. She swung around, causing Insight to clutch tightly to her shirt. A girl just slightly older stood beside her, smiling smugly. "You're having a conversation… with your Eevee." She chuckled again. "Wait until I tell Greg."

Chira stared at her for a moment before the name clicked. "You don't mean…"

"Oh, there he is now! Greggy! Guess what." She waved at someone behind Chira.

"What?" The familiar voice came from behind her.

"This girl has been having a conversation with her Eevee! I mean, a goodness to honest conversation!"

Chira swallowed before slowly turning around and facing the boy. His reply died on his lips when he saw her. Instead, a slow smile formed. "Oh, hello. Chira, was it?"

"Greg." Her mouth had gone desert dry.

He leaned against a shelf. "I didn't expect to see you here. In fact, I didn't expect to see you again at all. I thought you would have given up by now."

Chira bit back her anger, speaking as calmly as she could. "Not likely. I'm in this for the long run. And besides, I don't give up easily."

"I noticed. You must be incredibly tenacious to survive this long with so many defeats."

"Defeats?" Chira asked, genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

Greg acted surprised. "You mean you didn't want anyone to know? I'm surprised you've been able to keep it secret this long. Anyone watching you battle would be able to tell you have absolutely zero talent. Or am I wrong?"

Chira almost shivered at his challenge, his cold eyes glinting evilly. She could tell he had a way to "back up" his claim if anyone doubted him. What it was, though, she could only wonder. There was nothing she could remember ever doing that would provide him that type of proof.

"You know you're wrong," Chira told him, keeping her gaze level. Curiosity and pride had her responding the way he wanted her to. Insight's nose quivered.

Greg smiled. "Am I?" he murmured, his eyes flickering delightedly. He shrugged. "Then I guess I made a mistake."

Chira almost fell over. "What?" she asked, at the same time Greg's companion exclaimed, "You're never wrong! Greg, show this pansy who she's dealing with!"

Greg leaned into Chira's face. "She just proved herself a liar."

"What?"

"Didn't you see her reaction, Amy? She couldn't believe I didn't call her on her bluff. That was proof enough."

Chira stuttered, flushing angrily. "Wha-Wha- You- You!" She pushed him away from her. He simply smiled as she stormed up to the counter, content in his victory. Insight growled and jumped off Chira's shoulder. She turned just in time to see the little dog Tackle him. Unfortunately, he stayed on his feet, and she had to call Insight back before she did any damage. "Insight, leave him along. Show you're above that!" The Eevee growled again in warning, and turned. "Insight!" Insight hit the ground, and Greg grinned. Chira scooped her up, staring at him incredulously. "You just kicked my pokemon!" "You should learn to control it better." He waved his hand turning away. "Hold it! No one kicks my pokemon and gets away with it! I challenge you to a pokemon battle!" The whole department was listening, watching, as Greg stopped and turned around. "I've been waiting for that challenge. It's about time I wiped the floor with you." "Ten minutes, in front of the store." "Done. Don't run away now." "There's no chance of that!" Chira let Insight jump back onto her shoulder. "There's no way I'm letting him get away with that insult." She placed her hand on Insight's head. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine. I was able to dodge most of the kick. It grazed me just enough to send me falling. I'm worried about you, though." "Me? Why?" "You're making this personal. You aren't going to fighting as strategically as usual, and if we lose…" "We won't lose. You won't be fighting, and Cami and Morrie will be able to deal with him." "He's had a lot more experience than you." "I don't care; we are not going to lose." She cut Insight off as the people began looking at her funnily. "We won't lose," she repeated softly, the light of battle shining in her eyes.


	30. Bonding

A small crowd was formed by the time Chira exited the store. She immediately spotted Greg and his friend sitting on a bench, laughing with someone from the crowd. She marched over, still thinking furiously of a plan. Morrie was snake enough that he should be able move on the ground, but they hadn't practiced that at all. He wouldn't be able to help, and she had already told Insight that she wouldn't be battling. Chira bit her lip. She couldn't leave it up to Cami.

"What's wrong, having second thoughts?" Greg asked acidly.

Chira's head jerked up. "No way! Name the terms, and let's get this over with!"

"How about we make this as quick and painless as possible? I have an appointment in Vermillion I have to make. One-on-one sound good to you?"

Chira came the closest to hugging him then and there. The closest, which, considering her intense dislike of him, wasn't very close.

"You've got a deal." She grabbed Cami's pokeball, and took her position on one side of the circle the crowd had formed. Greg smiled as he sauntered to his side.

"You're going to make this easy, aren't you?" he asked confidently. "You're going to regret treating my pokemon like a doll!"

Insight growled at her, and she forced herself to relax, taking several deep, calming breaths. When she looked back, Greg was calmly tossing a pokeball up and down.

"Let's start this show, shall we?" he asked, before tossing his pokeball out. "Feraligatre!"

"Cami!" Chira threw the pokeball out, the fire horse appearing with an excited whinny. "You know what we have at stake here. I'm counting on you!"

Greg snickered and turned to his companion. "She has to give her pokemon a pep talk; how cute."

An old man took the position of judge. "Go!" he yelled, not wasting breath on any preliminary commands.

"Feraligatre, let's make this quick! Bite!"

"Cami, stay on the defensive and look for your opening!" The blue reptile pokemon lunged for the Ponyta, aiming for her throat. With a nicker, Cami dodged neatly to the side, keeping her back away from her opponent. "Cami, don't worry about the skill difference. We're faster, we have the advantage!"

"Speed does not equal power; I though even you would realize that," Greg noted.

"I'm not counting on her power from speed." Chira replied, and left it at that. "Cami, let's see what a Fire Tackle will do. Just don't let it hit you!"

"A Fire Tackle? I've never heard of that one before."

Chira smiled, but said nothing, her eyes taking in every detail of the battle as Cami was surrounded with fire. "Now, Cami! It's coming in for the attack!"

"Feraligatre! Hydro Pump!" Cami burst from the flames just as a jet of water erupted from the Feraligatre's mouth.

"Cami, dodge it!" Chira screamed.

The horse stumbled, hitting the ground just as the attack went right over her head. The crowd's tension increased several more knots.

Chira's heart beat a staccato in her chest as she briefly closed her eyes in relief, then she was back in the battle. "Cami, watch out for that! Try to confuse it with Agility!"

The horse took off with full speed, turning perfectly to avoid the crowd, but flying circles around the Feraligatre. The pokemon couldn't keep track of her.

"Feraligatre, scratch!" Greg called lazily. Feraligatre immediately stuck out its massive claws, and Cami ran full tilt into one of its arms, flipping and hitting the ground. She was back up and circling warily immediately.

"Come on, Cami, let's take it out!" Chira called. "Stomp!"

The horse sprang forward, hooves flying.

"Feraligatre, use scratch!"

The enemy pokemon's claws swept out and around Cami's legs, catching her across the chest. Cami screamed and retreated, prancing around with pain. The whites of her eyes began to show, and she snorted agitatedly.

"Cami!" Chira had never felt such failure before. The battle was young, and she was losing! Everything she could think of had no effect, and she couldn't think of anything else to try. "Cami," she murmured again.

"Feraligatre, I'm growing tired of this," Greg said as Cami struggled to her hooves. "Finish it with a Hydro Pump."

The horse cocked its head and watched as the final attack was readied, unable to do more. She had been beaten and bruised, and she was in the same boat as Chira. But she could still dodge. She forced herself to take a slow step forward, then another. The blast was released, and her bunched muscles were ready for it.

"Cami…"

"Chira!" Trey shouldered through the crowd, reaching Chira and spinning her around by her shoulders. "Chira, call this off right now! I mean it-" Words died in his throat as she allowed him to shake her, her head whipping back and forth in unresponsiveness. Her eyes were shining white through her contacts, and her expression was dull. His gaze traveled to the pokemon. "Not good…"

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She was moving, but stumbling as she had more than her normal two feet. An explosion of water hit the street behind her and she spun around, somehow managing not to fall. She bared her teeth at her opponent, all discomfort falling away as generations of battles sang in her blood. She whinnied with the pure joy of it before dodging yet another attack, her feet flying over the cobbles. She was behind her enemy, and the fire was building up inside her. She began to circle, fire trailing behind her and creating a burning cyclone, trapping the alligator pokemon. She slid out of it, her feet kicking up sparks as she performed a perfect 180 degree point turn. The fire died away to reveal a dazed, but still ready to battle, Feraligatre. She snorted, stamping her feet. This was her fight. She charged, hitting the ground and sliding as another Hydro Pump soared over her head, her hooves slamming into where her opponent was up until a moment ago. She looked straight up into a grinning face.

The attack connected.

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Trey was ready for the backlash when it hit. Chira screamed and jerked backwards, blacking out. He caught her, fumbling with the pokeballs at her waist for Cami's. He found it and Returned the pokemon, grimacing as he did so. His gaze met Greg's as the other boy crossed the battle 'ring'.

"So weak she can't even handle a defeat, huh?" he mocked, pocketing Feraligatre's pokeball.

"That's not why she blacked out and you know it," Trey said softly, picking up Chira's limp form after allowing Insight to jump on his shoulder. "You noticed how powerful her Ponyta was at the end and how unresponsive she was."

Greg was surprised, but recovered quickly. "So you're one too, huh? Figures, she would want someone who has an actual-"

"Stop kidding yourself," Trey interrupted, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Even someone like you should realize she's a pure blood." He turned on his heel and left, ignoring the hate-filled gaze boring into his back.

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Trey sat watching the girl sleep, fighting an inner war. She wasn't even aware of her heritage yet, but she could bond… He had never heard of someone achieving it that fast. The record was three months of intense training along the lines of eat, sleep, live it. But… To finally meet one whose blood was still pure, who didn't have a trace of dilution… Oh, he had heard of a family that had succeeded in that. But it was the blood itself that did it; they didn't have any conscious part.

He frowned. If they were to get a hold of her talent…the world wouldn't, no, couldn't, survive it.

A soft whimper escaped the girl's lips, and she twitched, turning over with a soft sigh. She soon frowned again, and her fingers clutched at the bed covers before her eyes fluttered open.

She stared at him, her eyes vacant, for several moments before she tried speaking. "Trey?" she asked, her voice raspy. She pushed herself to a sitting position, upsetting Insight who had been sleeping on her chest, before clutching at her head. "What happened?" she moaned.

Trey smiled weakly. "Nothing important. It can wait until you've had a chance to recover."

Chira frowned and shot him a glance. "It's funny. I remember my dream perfectly, but I can't remember a thing about lying down." She narrowed her eyes accusingly. "Why am I in bed?"

Trey chuckled. "You're falling into a habit. Two blackouts in two chapters…" He shook his head. "Evidently you challenged someone to a battle…"

Chira's head snapped up, and she swung her feet off the bed. "That's right! I have to beat Greg!"

Trey intercepted her before she could get out of her room, gritting his teeth against her struggles. "Calm down, Chira," he tried to reason with her.

Chira resisted her urge to throw an elbow. "No, you don't understand. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I had to forfeit. Greg would never let me live it down. Now let go!"

Trey shook his head. "Just sit down for a moment and listen to me, will you?"

Chira yanked her arms out of his grasp. "Fine, if it will get me out of here faster! Talk." She crossed her arms.

Trey motioned for her to sit. She did so with an irritated sigh, rubbing her forehead. Trey straddled a chair backwards, resting his arms on the backrest. "You've already had that battle," he said softly, watchful for any sudden movement.

Chira froze before raising an eyebrow for him to go on.

"You lost."

She bit her lip, closing her eyes from the mental slap.

"But before you did, you succeeded in proving yourself worthy of your ancestry."

Chira blinked at him. "Huh?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

Chira slumped forward, her head in her hands. "So I really did lose?" she asked, voice muffled.

Trey rested his head on his hands, looking at her sideways. "Yeah. But you gave him a battle he isn't soon to forget in the meantime."

Trey jolted and stared when Chira sniffled, noticing for the first time her shoulders shaking. "C-Chira?"

"I should have won! He'll never let me live this down. He'll never get out of my face until I can defeat him hands down."

"So you'll have to," Trey shrugged. "Giving up now will just prove him right, you know."

A pillow hit him in the face, knocking him off the chair. "Wha-?"

Chira stood over him with her hands on her hips. "Don't even think for a second that I will contemplate giving up. There is no way! I'm not going to let some know-it-all, good-for-nothing, pokemon master wannabe take away my dream! Got that!?"

Trey stared up at her. A smile played itself into existence. "You've definitely got the spunk to go all the way to the top." He pushed himself off the floor. After dusting himself off, he extended a hand. "Fine. Let's make a deal. Neither of us will quit, nor let the other quit. We will both do our absolute best at all times. Deal?"

Chira stared at his hand, before smiling and clasping it in hers. "Deal!"

Trey quickly dropped his hand, but not before noticing how small hers was. "Then let's get you a rainbow badge."

"A rainbow…? Oh!" Chira snapped to attention. "Of course!"

Trey shook his head. "ADHD," he muttered. "Come on." He led the way to the gym, hands in his pockets and chin tucked down, thinking. Chira trailed behind, the most alert she had been in a long time.

'At least the sickness won't affect her for a while after she used that much…' Trey thought, watching her.

Chira sighed. "I just don't understand. Why did I lose? I know I can beat him, I just know it!"

Trey rolled his eyes before catching up to the girl. "The reason you lost is because you don't have half as much experience as him. No amount of raw talent will allow you to beat someone who has experience, especially not that much." He watched her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't worry, Chira. Once you learn how to use your talent, that overgrown cretin won't stand a chance!"

Chira paused, confused, but they were at the gym. "Huh? Trey, what are you-? Trey!" She ran to catch up, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sudden change of lighting. "Trey! What do you mean-"

"We're here to challenge Erica to a Gym Battle," Trey said, leaning on the receptionist's counter. "I trust she's in today?"

The receptionist sighed. "Yes, she's in. She's currently battling another trainer, but you can observe. The arena is right down that hall." She pointed, waited for them to begin moving, and turned back to her computer.

"Thanks," Chira smiled.

They headed down the hall, Trey shaking his head at the receptionist. "Talk about inhospitable."

"You know," Chira said, glancing back at her. "I don't think she enjoys this job."

Trey snorted. "You can say that again."

"I don't think she-"

"It's a phrase of agreement, don't take it in the literal sense," Trey interrupted, smiling at her.

"Oh."

"C'mon." Trey pushed open a door. The two stared down at the dirt stadium from among the benches.

"Thundershock!" A trainer yelled. The Mareep let loose a blast of lightning, but the Oddish it was attacking easily countered it with a Razor Leaf.

"Drat!" the trainer muttered, before yelling, "Try a tackle, Mareep!"

Chira's eyes widened when she saw the Umbreon by the girl's side. "Erin," she whispered, unconsciously taking a step forward.

Trey grabbed her arms, pulling her back. "Hold it," he hissed. "You said you saw her right after we got to Celadon, right? Don't you think she'll just run again if you approach her now? Better to let her finish her match, at the very least." He pushed her onto a nearby bench. "Now sit quietly." Chira acquiesced while Trey remained standing, his hands in his pockets.

Chira propped her chin in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. 'At least I'll be able to study Erica's battle tactics,' she thought despondently.

"Oddish! Sleep powder!" Erica commanded calmly.

"Oddish, odd!" A blast of powder came out of the leaves on top of the Oddish's head, enveloping the Mareep.

"Mareep!" Erin cried. "Knock it away using… Using… Mareep!" The sheep pokemon hit the ground, breathing deeply in its slumber. "Return!" Erin traded pokeballs. "Okay, you took out my Mareep, but this one will work! Go, Slugma!" A slug that appeared to be molten lava took form on the battlefield. Chira's eyes widened. "Slugma! Use Flamethrower!" A stream of fire headed for the Oddish, who dodged with a cry.

"Oddish, use Razor Leaf!"

"Slugma, keep using Flamethrower!"

"Slug slug." The leaves disintegrated in the flames, and then the flames were heading straight for the Oddish. "Oddish, dodge, then counter with- Oddish!"

The plant pokemon had been too slow, and was hit full force. It bounced backwards several times before getting back up slowly.

"Slugma, finish it with Rock Throw," Erin ordered triumphantly.

"Slug, sluuuuug!"

Rocks dropped onto the Oddish, and it was out cold on the third one.

"Wow," Chira whispered. "Erin's good."

"She should be," Trey responded, then shook his head at her inquiring glance.

"Oddish, return! Let's go, Victreebel!"

"Aw! A Victreebel!" Chira's eyes positively sparkled. "I've never seen one before!"

Trey stared at her, amazed. "But you've seen a Slugma?" he asked hoarsely.

Chira nodded. "Mm-hmm. A trainer came to our town several years back. He trained fire pokemon, and Slugma was his first. He also had a Magmar, and a Cyndaquil. Oh, and his Charmeleon had just evolved, too, so he had a Charizard." She thought for a moment. "He had Flareon and Houndour as well."

"Right," Trey said.

"Victreebel, Focus Energy."

"Viiiiictreebel!" it sang, glowing for a brief moment.

"Slugma, use Flamethrower again!" A stream of fire once more erupted straight at the Victreebel.

"Victreebel, counter with Razor Leaf!"

The leaves shot through the fire before slamming into the Slugma and throwing it back several feet.

"Wha!" Chira turned wildly to Trey. "How come they didn't burn up?" she demanded.

Trey narrowed his eyes as the Slugma struggled back up, panting. Erin's eyes narrowed. "It would appear the leaves were spinning fast enough that the fire couldn't even touch them. Amazing. I've heard about this kind of thing, but never seen it."

"How would you defend against that?" Chira asked under her breath.

Trey placed a hand on her shoulder. "Either move extremely fast or have an extremely hot fire."

"Slugma!" Erin yelled. "Hang in there. We can still win. Rock Throw!"

Rocks shot at the Victreebel, flying at amazing speeds. It braced itself, and was hit straight on. It was thrown several feet back, but got back up quickly.

"Victreebel, let's finish this. Razor Leaf!"

"Slugma, Defense Curl!"

It was too late. The fire slug was out cold before the torrent of leaves subsided.

"Slugma!" Erin's eyes were wide, then she nodded. "Return, good job. Zwilum," she turned to the Umbreon at her side. "Take them down."

The black dog nodded, and jumped into the fray.

"Start with Faint Attack," Erin called. Immediately the Umbreon became a shadow, flitting this way and that.

"Bell?"

"Victreebel, Focus Energy, quick!" Erika cried, right before the Victreebel was hit from the side, smashing into the wall of the Gym.

"Victreebel is unable to battle. This round goes to the challenger!" the judge proclaimed.

"Okay, I'm not done yet," Erika said, returning Victreebel. "Bellosum, go!"

"Bellosum, Bell!"

"Bellosum, use Solar Beam!"

A blast of energy shot straight at Umbreon, but it easily leapt over the attack.

"Good job, Zwilum, now counter with Bite."

The Dark dog lunged forward, clamping its teeth on the Bellosum's head. "Bell-o-sum!" it cried, frantically trying to get it off.

"Bellosum, use Petal Dance!" Pink flowers began to fly around the flower pokemon.

"Zwilum, get out of there! Use Faint Attack!" Umbreon glowed black and disappeared, right as the flower petals raced at it. They missed, and hit the Bellosum, sending it dancing around, trying to lesson the damage. It shook itself and said, "Bel," determinedly.

"Bellosum, let's finish this. Use Solar Beam and immediately follow it with Petal Dance." The double attack hit its mark, enveloping the Umbreon in a green and purple light. When the attack slowly faded, Zwillum was still standing, enveloped itself in a white light.

"Zwillum!" Erin cried dully. Her eyes were slightly dazed, and her fists were clenched loosely at her sides.

"She's bonding," Trey muttered. "The idiot is bonding!"

"Bonding?" Chira asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"She's joining consciousness with her pokemon!"


	31. A Run In

Finally! I made it! And I have a fast internet connection now... It's amazing! _breaks down in sobs of joy_

Ahem. Anyway. Sorry it took so long. Still battling with that thing called school. Here's the next part! Enjoy!

Ehani: Thanks! I love it when people enjoy what I write.

WildTotodile: Yup! And, here's more bonding!

Once more, thanks to all my faithful readers.

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"I don't understand," Chira said softly, frowning at Erin. "How could she do that? That's impossible."

"Not for someone with her blood," Trey told her.

"Blood?" Chira stared at him. "Blood? That guy who was trying to kidnap her mentioned something about blood, didn't he?"

Trey looked sadly at her and nodded. He sighed. "I guess I have to explain now, don't I?" he asked.

Chira cocked her head. "Explain what?"

Insight doggy-purred at her. "Trey can understand what I say as well."

Chira's eyes widened, then she screamed. "YOU WHAT!?"

The two opponents on the field both turned to see a teen shaking another teen by the shirt collar. "You can understand her, and You NEVER TOLD ME!? WHY?!"

"Calm down, Chira, will you? You're drawing attention to yourself…"

"Like I care," her voice went low and deadly. Two pokeballs at her waist burst open and gave shape to Cami and Morrie. The Snake Fish circled around her, and Cami snorted and stomped her feet, forcing him away from her. Morrie tucked his tail under Chira's feet, and slowly raised her to his head, where she knelt, her eyes narrowed.

Trey gulped as he realized she was unconsciously tapping her power to make her pokemon stronger. "Chira, calm down!" he called.

"I don't believe it," Erin murmured. "They followed me." She turned to the Umbreon. "Zwillum, finish it now. Crunch."

The Umbreon lunged forward, its teeth glowing black. It chomped three times, not letting the Bellosum recover or defend. It went down hard, and Erin imperiously held out her hand for the badge.

Chira, meanwhile, had turned her back on Trey, who had finally called Arcanine for protection. The dog growled at him.

"Didn't I say you should tell her as soon as you got a chance? You should have listened to me…"

"Yeah, probably," Trey acknowledged, crouching behind the fire dog. "But you can't blame me for deciding to wait, can you?"

"Uh, yeah, I can," the dog snorted.

"Well, if I had just marched up to her as soon as I knew, and told her, she probably would have slapped me silly and ditched me."

Arcanine eyed his trainer. "You like her, don't you?"

"What do you mean?" Trey glared at him. "Of course I don't like her. I just feel that I'm one of the few who can train her."

"And the winner is Erin Wingsey!" the announcer yelled, cutting through the conversation.

Trey peaked over Arcanine's back, frowning. "I have to talk to her…"

"I've got it," Arcanine jumped down the stands, landing with a _whump_ in front of the Gym Leader and challenger. "Don't go anywhere, Umbreon," he growled. Chira slid off Cami's back beside him, but marched up to Erika.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to be your next challenger," she said through gritted teeth.

Erika nodded, but her eyes were on her previous opponent staring down the Arcanine. Trey landed in the ring and dusted himself off as he approached Erin. He held out a hand.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a word or two with you." Trey said conversationally.

"I do mind," Erin spat. She tossed her black ponytail over one shoulder and clenched her jaw stubbornly. "Why don't you just stop following me and leave me alone."

"Not doing." He grabbed her arm. "You don't realize it, but you and I have a lot in common."

"Yeah, right."

"Listen to me. You and I both have the same blood. We're hunted by the same people, and neither of us can win on our own."

"Is that why you paired up with her?" Erin asked nastily, jerking her head toward Chira, who perked up, finally paying enough attention to make sense of what she was saying.

"Of course not. I didn't even know until after I met her. But… Can you at least talk to me while she battles?"

"I think not." Erin jerked her arm away. "Thanks anyway…"

She took two steps before stumbling and clasping her stomach. "What…?"

"I knew you'd find each other if I waited long enough."

"You!" Erin growled.

Trey's fists clenched.

Chira stared, automatically sensing danger, yet not understanding how to react.

Erika held out a pokeball threateningly. "Are you the one who broke in here two days ago?" she demanded.

The man in the black suit smiled from where he lounged in one of the bleachers. "Nice to see you again, Trey, is it? Your sister sends her regards."

"You can send those regards back to her unopened. I don't want them," Trey said slowly and deliberately. Chira had never heard him speak so dangerously low before.

"Tut, tut. She won't be happy to hear you're still mad at her." He gestured imperiously.

"Why wouldn't I be mad? She chose to abuse her gift; she chose to turn back to the old ways. She knew what would happen."

He tossed a pokeball up and down, smiling. "She also wishes reconciliation."

"No she doesn't, she just wants my power."

"Trey…" Chira hissed. "Who is that?"

"No one you need to know. Leave, Leon. Now." Trey pulled out three pokeballs. "Don't make me force you."

"I wouldn't dream of it. I just want to leave you this little trinket." Leon waved a small slip of paper before placing it on the bleacher. "Don't worry. I won't bother you. At least, not this time." He stood to go, pausing before slipping out of the room. "Though, I can't make any promises about the others."

"Trey," Chira whispered, pulling on his sleeve, forgetting her earlier agitation. "What just happened?"

"No…" Trey frowned and turned to Erin, who mirrored his expression of confusion and dismay. Understanding struck. "Everyone, get down!" He grabbed Chira and shoved her to the floor as Arcanine leapt in front of Erika and Zwilum in front of Erin just as the wall exploded.

Chira screamed and covered her head with her arms as Trey shielded her with his body. "Bella, Misdre, Tyrani, Kinglor, Kaddo, go!"

The pokeballs at his waist burst open, and five pokemon took shape. Chira stared at the Bellosom, Misdreavus, Tyranitar, Kingdra, and Kadabra. She squeaked unintelligibly, as Trey pushed himself to his feet. "You know the drill. Keep everyone safe!"

Chira shook her head and pushed herself to her knees. Her eyes widened at the ten men and women in purple uniforms, each with the psychic eye on their chest. Their smiles were bone chilling.

"This will be easy, boys," one of the men hissed, releasing a Rhydon. "They don't stand a chance."

"That's what you say," Trey muttered. "Misdreavus, Night Shade."

The ghost pokemon squeaked, and immediately everything became dark.

Someone's voice echoed out. "Charizard, light up this area!" Immediately a bright light flashed, and the darkness faded. Chira's eyes widened when she saw that all of Trey's pokemon but Arcanine were now behind the masses.

"Snorlax, Tangela, Phanpy, teach these guys a lesson!" Erin released her pokemon with a snarl.

The Snorlax yawned, and flopped down on its stomach, trapping about three people underneath it as it fell asleep. The Phanpy released an earthquake, and Tangela shot into the group with several Leech Seeds.

Cami trotted behind Chira, snorting. "Shall I join in?" she asked. "I can help quite a lot."

"No," Chira said softly. "No." She stared at all the pokemon fighting Trey's six, most of Erika's, Erin's three, and the Celadon Gym trainer's pokemon as well. They were outmatched. Yet… Chira couldn't bring herself to ask her pokemon to help. Morrie had Returned, and Insight sat at the girl's feet.

"Chira, you can't afford to freeze, you know," Insight murmured softly. "Trey and the others need your help. They are losing even as we speak."

"Arcanine!" Trey cried as the fire dog was thrown against a wall, hitting the floor in a crumpled heap. Still, he resolutely pushed himself once more to his feet.

Chira hugged herself as Erin Returned Zwillum. "I can't…" Then her eyes locked on the man wearing the long coat standing outside and to the side, his eyes watchful over the sunglasses he wore. Her eyes widened. "Insight. I need your help." She turned and ran up the bleachers, her feet eating up the ground. She shoved through the doors into the Gym's hall, and immediately ran into some men grinning at her.

One of them smiled. "Deserting never does any good," he said, before throwing a pokeball. "Golem! Rock Throw!"

Chira screamed and ducked, throwing herself forward. She rolled between them, and came up on the other side, still running. "Insight!" she cried, sliding to a stop when she realized the little dog wasn't matching her pace.

"Hey!" she cried, when she saw the Eevee trying to fight the Golem. "Insight! Don't, you won't w-" Something stopped her, something instinctive kept from telling her pokemon it was a losing battle. She bit her lip. "Alright, if you want to fight, let's fight. Tackle him to the ground!" she yelled.

The men looked back at her, a little surprised. Insight lunged forward, slamming into the Golem with all her might. It didn't budge an inch. It brushed at the point of contact, almost as if an annoying fly had bitten it. Chira could feel Insight's rage.

"Calm down, Insight. You don't need to show your anger. You don't need to take offense. Brush it off, and keep your head where it needs to be."

"Shut up!" Insight growled.

"Wha?" Chira stared as the dog snapped futilely at the rock pokemon. "Insight…" Her fists clenched and she sent a punch at the nearest trainer, who, unfortunately, easily dodged.

"You want a fist fight, huh? I'm rather surprised a little girl like you would want to pit yourself against us instead of relying on your pokemon."

"Hah!" She tried again, and this time her fist connected. Unfortunately, it was with his palm. He slowly began to squeeze her fist, and she cringed. "Let go!" She tried to punch with her left hand, but he caught that one too, smiling insufferably at her struggle.

"This was a piece of cake," he told his partners. "She practically handed herself to us."

"Let-me-go!" Chira demanded, her voice clipped. "Insight!" She tried to call to her Eevee, but she was struggling at this point simply to remain on her feet. Chira's jaw flexed. She turned to the man who held her fists in a death grip. She spoke in a low voice, calling on her trump card. "Morrie, release." Once more, the pokeball at her waist burst open, spilling forth a red light that slowly took shape in the form of a Gyardos. The man's eyes widened, and Chira took her opening. Slamming down one of her feet on one of his, she yanked her hands out of his surprised grip and punched him as hard as she could in his stomach. Though she wasn't very strong and the contact was fairly light, it was still enough to cause his breath to hiss out slightly. Immediately, she grabbed Insight's pokeball. "Return! Morrie, Hyper Beam!" She leapt out of the way as the blast of energy was released on the Golem and its trainer. She came up rolling, and smiled. "Morrie! Hydro Pump!"

The water came blasting out of the water snake's mouth at about 50 psi, causing many cries of pain as all but one were unable to dodge. "Way to go, Morrie!" Chira congratulated.

"It was my pleasure," the Gyardos told her. "I'm willing to help in any way I can."

"That's good to hear, I'll be needing you to help me in just a few minutes. But for now; Return!"

Chira was running as soon as the pokeball was clipped once more on her belt. The lone survivor of the attack was blubbering behind her as the rest of his comrades were groaning, many clutching at broken ribs.

Chira ignored all faces, including the traumatized receptionist's as she searched for the roof exit. It took her several storage closets and a locker room to find it in the trainer's lounge. She burst out of it, her hair whipping in the forceful breeze. It didn't take her long to realize the strength was coming from several helicopters hovering overhead, each with the same psychic eye logo painted on them as what the men inside were wearing. She shielded her face from her hair and carefully made her way along the rounded dome to the edge directly above the battle ring. She could see Trey's Kadabra still barely outside the building, repeatedly casting Psychic as pokemon after pokemon charged it. Even from this distance Chira could tell it was having a rough time of it. She narrowed her eyes determinedly.

"Okay, Morrie," she whispered, clutching his pokeball. She had spotted the man in the coat quickly. She crouched down to avoid being blown off the roof. "This is your time to shine. Hit that guy with your most powerful Hydro Pump, and try to land with as little damage as you can. If you have the choice between landing safely or scoring hits, choose the landing. That's an order. Now, go!" She stood and released the Gyardos straight into the air. "Show them what you're made of!" she screamed, her eyes whitening.

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She was falling. Twin orders rang in her head, and she knew she could make both. She felt the water attack bubble up her throat and released it with all her might, straight at the surprised man who commanded these attackers. Foolish humans, they were trying to escape as the blast dug a trench deep enough for her to fit in as it traveled toward them. She was falling immensely fast, and she took a deep breath, trued her aim, and released a mighty blast before Returning right before hitting the ground.

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Chira shook her head, one hand clutching her forhead, the other rubbing her tailbone, where she had connected when she whipped backward. She frowned. What was that? She couldn't figure it out. How could she have seen that through Morrie's perspective? She shook her head and crawled to the edge of the roof. She peeked over to see several men helping their unconscious leader into a helicopter. Slowly the fighters retreated, until only one was left, which hopped in the last helicopter right before it chose to disappear into the distance. Chira sighed, her eyes dazed as she felt herself drifting into deep lethargia. Slowly she fell over the edge, too tired to even scream as she watched the ground rush up to meet her.

Trey saw the figure falling. "Kadabra!" he yelled. "Catch her!"

The pokemon cast Psychic once more, slowly lowering Chira to the ground before collapsing. She looked up dazedly as Trey stood over her. He squatted down in front of her, one hand on her hair. "You did good, Chira. You did good."

Cami snorted as she led Erin and Zwilum over. Erin was looking uncomfortable. "Hey, Chira?" she asked tentatively.

The girl looked at her, nearly falling over. Trey steadied her. "At least she didn't pass out again," he told Erin. "That's only the second time she's bonded."

"You're kidding!" Erin gasped, staring at Chira. "I was out cold for a complete day the first five times I bonded!"

Trey nodded, looking back at their spaced out friend. "She's definitely something, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Erin agreed. "I guess she is." Her hand tightened around a pokeball. _I'll talk to her later, then, _she thought.


End file.
